FF questions James Reilly’s future role in Government

Media reports that Minister James Reilly was warned by officials that his plans to dismantle the health service were “simply unworkable” call into question his continued presence in Government, Fianna Fáil has said.

The party’s health spokesman Billy Kelleher said the allegations that senior officials in the Department of Health had dismissed his plans to replace the HSE were “very serious”.

He added: “A senior Government Minister was told in very stark terms to stop doing what he was doing because of the damage he was causing, but he and all his colleagues, from the Taoiseach down continued to insist to citizens that everything in the garden was rosy and that their plans were on track.

“It raises fundamental questions about the honesty of the Government and must surely put pressure on James Reilly’s continued participation in Government.”

The reservations of officials was contained in the briefing document for Mr Reilly’s successor at health Leo Varadkar.

The officials state that plans for a series of agencies to replace the HSE, if implemented in full, “would lead to a wide range of new statutory organisations. It is the department’s view that this would be an unworkable construct.

“The department therefore is of the view that a more coherent approach to this phase of the reform programme is required.”

Early last month, Mr Varadkar announced he was postponing the abolition of the HSE, saying it should “remain in place at least until all of this has bedded down”. He also said he was delaying the introduction of universal health insurance.

Mr Kelleher said the apparent change of heart had left the “ Government’s entire health policy agenda in tatters.

“Their plan made no sense, was unworkable and has now collapsed. In the three and half years it took to demonstrate that fact, tens of thousands of families have had to go through the misery of the medical card cull, hospital chiefs have had to go public to warn about the effect Government policy was having on patient safety and morale within the health service has taken a battering.

“Now, we have a minister who appears to have no plan at all, except to try to distance himself from the damage his colleague caused.

“We need to hear quickly from Government on why they continued to insist that their health reforms were working, even as they had collapsed and we need to hear from the new minister on what plans he actually has.”