Reilly removes 'unintended error' from TDs' register

MINISTER FOR Health James Reilly has changed his entry in the register of TDs’ interests after admitting it contained an “unintended error”.

Dr Reilly contacted the clerk of the Dáil yesterday to have the entry changed in relation to his interest in a nursing home in Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary.

Earlier this week he was named in Stubbs Gazette after defaulting on a €1.9 million debt arising from this investment. He had stated his quarter share in the home was transferred to a blind trust “as per” advice from the Standards in Public Office (Sipo) Commission.

As recently as last month, he repeated this in answers to parliamentary questions.

However, in his Dáil statement on Wednesday night, Dr Reilly said he had given power of attorney to an independent solicitor to deal with his interest in the home. After Opposition parties pointed out the contradiction, he was forced to make the correction.

The Minister’s spokesman also confirmed last night that he initially proposed to Sipo that his interest be transferred to a blind trust controlled by his brother.

He said Dr Reilly, after deciding to set aside his interest while in office, had put forward a number of names including one of his brothers. He claimed this proposal was acceptable to the commission but did not proceed because Bank of Ireland would not accept it.

The standards commission declined to comment other than to confirm that Dr Reilly had sought and was given advice.

The political pressure continued on Dr Reilly yesterday with Fianna Fáil calling on him to answer questions from TDs about his investment in the Greenhills home. Sinn Féin claimed there was a conflict of interest between his investment in a private nursing home and his role in providing public nursing facilities.

Fianna Fáil health spokesman Billy Kelleher also questioned the accuracy of the Minister’s statement after it emerged he contacted an official of the Irish Nurses Organisation in relation to nurses working at Greenhills. Dr Reilly had told the Dáil he had no role in the operation of the home.

His spokesman said this contact occurred in 2002, when Dr Reilly was a senior official of the Irish Medical Organisation involved in industrial relations and long before he entered politics.

The Minister’s spokesman declined to say yesterday whether Dr Reilly owed money on a separate development to build a primary care centre near Dublin Airport. He said that after the general election was called last year, the Minister instructed his solicitor not to proceed with his interest in the development at Nevinstown, near Swords, now up for sale.

Tánaiste Éamon Gilmore reiterated confidence in Dr Reilly while Fine Gael backbencher Simon Harris accused the Opposition of taking cheap shots.