Martin abolishes councillors’ health board roles

THE Government has been accused of “offering a sop” to councillors by granting them a role in the health board replacement bodies while stripping them of their powers.

Publishing a bill yesterday which will end the participation of elected members of the existing health boards, Health Minister Micheál Martin said he planned to set up a number of forums for public representatives to express their views.

This was seen as a significant watering down of initial proposals by the minister to abolish forever political membership of health boards, which at the time was met with considerable opposition from local representatives.