Dail Report: The dismissal of former minister for health Micheál Martin and two ministers of state was demanded in the Dáil yesterday, before the publication of the Travers report.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny described the handling of the controversy surrounding the illegal charging of residents in long-stay public care as "the greatest political hand-washing job since Pontius Pilate".
In a bitter and noisy row, Mr Kenny said: "We are informed that a senior civil servant is to be removed from his post," and he demanded to know if Mr Martin had tendered his resignation.
"You should call the Minister in and dismiss him and his two ministers of state" all of whom "have failed in their duty", he told Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
Mr Ahern said: "It is always unfortunate that Opposition members makes comments on a report before they see or study it," and he said the Ministers would give their account of issues in the Dáil debate which takes place today.
Mr Kenny claimed that at least €500 million of the cost of the controversy to the taxpayer had arisen since Mr Martin became aware of the situation along with ministers of state Ivor Callely and Tim O'Malley, whom Mr Kenny described as "Tweedledum and Tweedledee".
They sat at meetings and "like the three monkeys, they heard nothing, they saw nothing and they did nothing".
The Taoiseach told the Dáil that a legislative base for charging for nursing home care should have been made in 1976 when there was a High Court case.
The then minister for health and secretary of the department made a decision and "subsequently down through the years successive ministers and secretaries general looked at this issue but moved away from it".
There was no point "making political points about the people in positions in 1976 who have long since left office and everybody else who has been in positions since then".
Olivia Mitchell (FG, Dublin South) said: "It is only the current secretary general who is going."
Mr Kenny said there would be a row over whether Mr Martin was told or not told about the matter by the secretary general but "the fundamental fact is that the Taoiseach bears responsibility for ensuring his ministers toe the line".
Mr Ahern said people should examine the Travers report. "It is a lengthy and detailed report deserving of careful consideration."
The Fine Gael leader asked if the Taoiseach intended to call Mr Martin in to "explain the political failures in his performance at the Department of Health.
"If the Minister has not offered his resignation, do you intend to sack him?"
As the Opposition persistently interrupted him, Mr Ahern said: "A circular went out this morning with an instruction to come in and heckle the Taoiseach, but the public get used to that."
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte recalled another controversy when a Special Criminal Court judge sought permission to retire and a letter that should have been issued was not sent.
He quoted Mr Martin's comments at the time: "It is clear no one is taking responsibility for the sordid nature of this debacle. It seems that civil servants must take the fall for political failure and negligence on the part of the minister, the attorney general and others in government."
He accused the Taoiseach of overruling the Minister for Health and delaying publication of the report "by clever use of parliamentary tactics, to evade your responsibilities to the House".
Mr Ahern insisted he was not trying "to dodge any issue" and that the report's publication had been briefly delayed to ensure parliamentary privilege and avoid litigation.
