Opposition calls for under-fire Reilly to quit

Sinn Féin has joined Fianna Fáil in calling for under-fire Health Minister Dr James Reilly to resign from his post — or be removed — over the primary care sites affair.

Freedom of Information documents revealed over the weekend show the Department of Health added four sites to the list the evening before 35 coveted locations were announced in July.

Of the four new sites two — Balbriggan and Swords — are in the minister’s north Dublin constituency.

They had been placed 44th and 130th respectively on the list drawn up by then junior minister, Róisín Shortall, who subsequently resigned over the changes.

Dr Reilly’s spokesperson did not respond to calls from the Irish Examiner yesterday.

However, speaking after news of the last-minute alterations emerged, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin claimed it is clear the minister told a “tissue of lies” on the issue, and that his position is “totally untenable”.

“The very fact we had to wait so long by way of a Freedom of Information request [for clarification on when the changes were made] is appalling.

“This was all an attempt to hide the truth. We were sold a tissue of lies on this and I am angry. He [Dr Reilly] has a lot of questions to answer and I think his position is untenable,” the opposition leader said.

His remarks were backed up by Sinn Féin public expenditure and reform spokesperson, Mary Lou McDonald, last night, who said the minister was falling from “shambles to shambles”.

She said the changes were not open or transparent and seemed to suggest “stroke politics” — adding that Dr Reilly should be removed as health minister.

Speaking on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics, Fianna Fáil transport, tourism and sport spokesperson, Timmy Dooley, said he believed the affair is “political stroking at its worst”.

However, Public Expenditure and Reform Minister, Brendan Howlin, defended his coalition partner, with the senior Labour TD saying he did not believe anything untoward has taken place.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio’s Saturday With Claire Byrne, Ms Shortall said the initial explanations for why the locations were added are “absolute codswallop”.

She said the last-minute alterations to the primary care list involved “pure political patronage” and did not stand up to scrutiny.

“It gives the lie to the convoluted excuses and justifications that Minister Reilly and other ministers gave.

“It’s obvious from the document — it’s obvious to everybody what James Reilly was at,” she claimed.