FF faces revolt over health boards plan

THE Government is facing a revolt by several long-serving Fianna Fáil party members on local authorities who are facing a health board push-off under structures planned by Health Minister Micheál Martin.

Details of a series of proposals put to Mr Martin by the Local Authority Members Association, on behalf of some 900 members of city, borough, county councils and town councils, demanding representation on the new health bodies, were revealed at the weekend.

Many of the councillors who are members of the local authority body are prominent figures who hold Fianna Fáil seats on local councils. They seek urgent talks with the minister in a bid to defuse the storm over the moves to exclude councillors from the new set-up.