Taoiseach defends Reilly following Dáil call for his resignation

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said he has confidence in Minister for Health Dr James Reilly following a call in the Dáil today for his resignation.

He was replying to Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald who said it was clear from the letter from the four hospital chief executives to the HSE that no prudent cost-cutting or savings were being made. “It is now time for Minister Reilly to go,’’ she added.

Mr Kenny said that the health budget this year was 13.263 billion euro. “There is no doubt - everybody understands this - it is a very challenging year for the health service,’’ he added.

He said he noted the letter which came from the four chief executives . “Clearly, the obligation and the legal responsibility following the budget being delivered was for the HSE to prepare a service plan based on the budgetary figures,’’ he added. Dr Reilly had given extra time to the HSE to prepare the plan.

He noted that at the end of the letter the four chief executives had asked for constructive engagement with the hospitals. “That is something that will happen, obviously,’’ he added.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the RTÉ Prime Time revelation had illustrated how untenable the current Government's budgetary strategy for the health services was. "Clearly, the letters indicate that the centre simply cannot hold if the Government proceeds with cuts up to 666 million euro to the health budget,'' he added.

They were talking, he said, about the CEOs of St James's hospital, Tallaght, the Mater hospital and Our Lady's hospital in Crumlin. "Basically, they are saying, Taoiseach, in a nutshell, that the quality of services and patient-safety are being compromised right now and will be irreparably compromised if these cuts go ahead,'' Mr Martin added.

Mr Kenny said he rejected the assertion that safety was not a Government priority.