Gilmore grills Reilly over care sites

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore hauled Health Minister James Reilly and health chiefs in for questions over the primary care centres controversy as demands were made to release documents on how their locations were decided.

Mr Gilmore met Dr Reilly, the department’s secretary general, and the new CEO of the HSE, after telling Taoiseach Enda Kenny he wanted assurances on the matter following two weeks of pressure on Dr Reilly to answer queries.

It emerged this week that a care centre in Balbriggan, north Dublin, was given the go-ahead on the land of a long-time Fine Gael member while Dr Reilly was minister. This followed the resignation of junior health minister Róisín Shortall, who accused Dr Reilly of engaging in “stroke politics”.