Reilly-Shortall row rages on over primary care sites

Junior minister Roisín Shortall looked increasingly isolated by her colleagues in the Labour Party as tensions deepened between her and Health Minister James Reilly.

Labour sources said the party leadership was eager for the two ministers to “sort it out” and “get the job done” after a week of public spats.

The latest row developed as Ms Shortall demanded answers on the addition of two locations in Dr Reilly’s constituency to a HSE list of recommended places for primary care centres.

The health minister did not provide an explanation to his junior minister of the criteria he used for expanding the list of 20 locations — despite Ms Shortall having responsibility for primary care.

Dr Reilly insisted he had done nothing improper and that he expanded the list of recommended sites to 35, of which 20 would be chosen, to ensure competition in the involvement of GPs.

“I made this decision and I know she disagrees with it. But I’ve made the decision, I have the authority to so do,” he said.

Ms Shortall urged Dr Reilly to reveal why the extra locations were added to the list and called for a “re-commitment” to the Programme for Government which states that priority for primary care centres be given to areas of urban and rural deprivation. However, Dr Reilly yesterday said that he would be “negligent in his duty” to exclusively use this criteria and that consideration should also be given to “the location of existing health facilities in the area, and accessibility”.

A spokesperson for Labour leader and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore had no comment on whether or not he shared Ms Shortall’s concerns over the sites.

Yesterday, Ms Shortall refused to answer whether or not she had confidence in Dr Reilly. “Minister Reilly and I need to work closely together, we need to re-commit to the Programme for Government. We need to resolve policy differences that do exist there. We are two different parties.”

This was in sharp contrast to party colleague Ruairi Quinn, who said Dr Reilly “needs the support of all his colleagues in Government and he certainly has mine”.

Dr Reilly said “actions speak louder than words” and that Ms Shortall had voted confidence in him on Wednesday in the Dáil.

He said the HSE has signed a lease to provide a primary healthcare centre in Balbriggan — meaning it will not be among the 20 chosen for a public-private partnership. The HSE is also in “advanced negotiations” to lease a Swords premises.

“And no, it’s not on a site I own,” said Dr Reilly.