Warring ministers Reilly and Shortall hold peace talks

Warring health ministers James Reilly and Roisin Shortall attempted peace talks last night.

After months of public back-biting, the pair met for 30 minutes to try and end what opposition parties have termed a “dysfunctional” situation at the Department of Health.

The two openly clashed for the first time in July after it emerged Dr Reilly had failed to inform his junior minister — or Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore — that the head of the HSE was resigning early.