Reilly under pressure over €1.9m debt

Health Minister James Reilly is under pressure to explain when he will repay a €1.9m debt he partly owes before he makes a statement to the Dáil on the issue later this evening.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny knew about Dr Reilly’s debt default before it appeared in yesterday’s debt monitoring magazine, Stubbs Gazette. But he strongly defended the Fine Gael deputy leader insisting Dr Reilly’s affairs were “entirely in order” and in compliance with the code of conduct for office holders.

The Labour Party said it had full confidence in the minister and the debt issue was not discussed during yesterday’s weekly meeting between the Taoiseach and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore. But a party source described the revelations as an “embarrassment” and not welcome news for the coalition.