Coughlan: Opposition guilty of ‘political opportunism’

TÁNAISTE Mary Coughlan caused uproar in the Dáil yesterday when she accused the opposition of indulging in “political opportunism” over the Tallaght Hospital X-ray scandal.

The remarks provoked an angry response from Fine Gael and Labour after the Government refused their demands for an emergency debate on the health crisis.

Fianna Fáil and Green TDs also voted down opposition proposals to shorten the 11 day St Patrick’s Day break so that the Dáil could devote more time to considering the unfolding Tallaght situation.

Ms Coughlan insisted facts surrounding the X-ray scandal at the hospital were “in dispute” and launched a full-scale attack on the opposition for its handling of the matter.

“It is appropriate to say that it is easy for members to personalise issues and to use opportunities like this – unpalatable as they might like to hear it from me – to use the distresses of patients for political opportunism,” she told TDs.

Opposition deputies branded the comments “shameful” and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore dismissed Ms Coughlan’s attack as an attempt to obscure the issues as he ridiculed the absence of Health Minister Mary Harney.

“We now have one minister who’s on a visit to New Zealand for two weeks on an itinerary that reads more like the Lord of the Rings trail.

“The only thing missing from it is an invitation for dinner hosted by Bilbo Baggins – and meanwhile the health service for which she is responsible for is falling apart,” he told the Dáil.

Sinn Féin demanded that if Ms Harney was not recalled immediately from New Zealand to deal with the crisis at home, that her passport be revoked and she be told to remain on the other side of the world for good.

Ms Coughlan strongly defended Ms Harney’s 15 day trip to New Zealand saying it was part of a concerted Ministerial effort to improve trade links abroad via St Patrick’s Day visits around the world which was why the lengthy holiday break could not be shortened.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny branded what had happened at Tallaght as “latest catastrophe in health” and demanded an emergency debate on the issue as the situation may be worse than already feared.

“This is the ultimate example of lack of accountability in the political process. This is hands-off Government, hiving off issues to bureaucratic and administrative entities. The Minister for Health and Children should be in the House but she is not,” he said.

Fine Gael health spokesperson James O’Reilly urged Government TD’s to put themselves in the place of the thousands of families anxiously waiting for the results once their X-rays at tallaght Hospital are finally checked properly in the next few months.