Officials met Reilly over secretary’s role

Health Minister James Reilly had to be told by the secretary general of his own department that it was “inappropriate” to involve civil servants in political work.

But the minister was “not necessarily accepting of the distinction” between departmental and political work at the time, according to internal department records.

These show the then secretary general, Michael Scanlan, and another official met Dr Reilly in June 2011 to discuss the operation of his private office. By then, Dr Reilly had been health minister for approximately three months.