Shortall defends her stance on care centres

Junior Health Minister Roisín Shortall has reiterated that primary healthcare centres should be allocated to particular locations in an “objective and transparent way”.

She is to meet the senior Health Minister James Reilly in the coming days as the row between them continues over his decision to add two areas in his constituency to a list of priority places to get these centres.

The Tánaiste and Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore refused to back Ms Shortall’s position on how the centres should be allocated.