TD'S RESIGNATION:JOE BEHAN has said he did not discuss the medical card controversy with the Taoiseach on Friday because his decision to resign from Fianna Fáil was irreversible.
"Clearly, the principle of the universal entitlement to medical cards for people over 70 years had been abandoned," Mr Behan told The Irish Timeslast night.
"That was the bottom line for me. I did not really see the point in going over to the Taoiseach's office and, perhaps, giving the impression that I was going to change my mind."
Earlier yesterday, Brian Cowen said he "fundamentally disagreed'' with Mr Behan's analysis when he claimed that "de Valera and Lemass would be turning in their graves in disgust" at what had been done by the Government in the budget.
Mr Behan made the assertion when speaking on the Marian Finucane Show on RTÉ Radio on Saturday. Speaking on the Radio One This Week programme, yesterday, Mr Cowen said that those leaders, whom he would only aspire to emulate, were people who "believed in discipline and unity and working within the structure of the party to address issues".
Mr Cowen said he was disappointed that "any member of the party, at any level, particularly a parliamentary party member, would take such an irreversible decision without us sitting down and having a chat about it and see what were our intentions in terms of dealing with it".
Mr Behan said that his respect and admiration for Mr Cowen had not changed. "I made that clear in my letter to him," he added.
"I understand that he has a job to do. I totally understand his comments on the This Week programme," he added.
Mr Behan said he would continue to serve his constituents as an Independent and would make a decision about the next general election at a later date.