LABOUR PARTY chairman Colm Keaveney TD has played down speculation about the possibility of a general election arising out of current tensions in Government over proposed cuts in the health services.
“The suggestion by certain media that this was about a call for a general election is a distraction from the core issue of the protection of services to vulnerable people,” he said.
A weekend comment by the Galway East TD that Labour should be prepared for a general election had given rise to suggestions that Coalition unity was in jeopardy but he explained yesterday this was not meant as a threat.
“However, I do agree with Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte when he said last week, in effect, that the next budget would pose a great political and economic challenge for the country and the body politic, including the Labour Party,” he said.
The Labour chairman also dismissed plans by Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin for motions of no confidence in Minister for Health James Reilly. “I don’t think Fianna Fáil or Sinn Féin have any credibility in this debate. The Minister is trying to address the deep-rooted problems created by Fianna Fáil,” he said.
Fianna Fáil health spokesman Billy Kelleher confirmed that his party will table a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Health upon the Dáil’s resumption in a fortnight’s time.
“Since Minister James Reilly took over responsibility in the Department of Health, it has been a story of disappointment, disruption, dysfunction and chaos,” he said.
Sinn Féin health spokesman Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin also announced his party would table a motion of no confidence in Dr Reilly as Minister. “Rumblings of discontent from the Labour Party or from within Minister Reilly’s own party are of little use if no action is taken to remove the Minister and to change policy.
“A Dáil motion of no confidence in Minister Reilly gives all Dáil deputies the opportunity to support such an essential change,” he said.
There was opposition to the proposed health cuts from Fine Gael TD for Longford-Westmeath James Bannon who said: “I don’t agree with cutting frontline services, particularly support for carers and people with disabilities.
“I am waiting till after the Cabinet meeting tomorrow to see what happens. Hopefully there will be a positive result,” he said.
Labour TD for Dublin South-Central, Michael Conaghan, said the cuts in frontline services have to be dropped, “especially in the area of home help, because the system we have has significant economic advantages. It is cost-saving in the long term, because residential care is far more expensive.”
Dublin North-Central Labour TD, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said: “There are savings that could be made in other areas of the health service budget, notably the cost of drugs. We’re not in the business of targeting the most vulnerable.
“I would hope we would get some clarity after the Cabinet meeting tomorrow and that the Minister will be in a position to announce that the more painful cuts won’t be going ahead.”
Labour TD for Clare, Michael McNamara, who has requested a meeting with Dr Reilly and is also due to meet his party leader, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, on the issue said he was confident that the savings can be made without cuts to frontline services.
Mayo Fine Gael TD John O’Mahony said he was hearing a lot on the ground about the planned cuts to home help services and homecare packages. He said there was a policy to care for as many people as possible in the home, therefore the cuts did not make sense.
“So certainly that would be something that I would hope could be adjusted in some way. Obviously there is a financial bottom line but there has to be a human and a caring bottom line as well,” he said.
