Shortall accuses minister of keeping information from the Cabinet

Health Minister James Reilly has been accused of concealing information from his cabinet colleagues when he sought their approval last July for laws to change the structure of the HSE.

Former junior health minister Roisín Shortall said Mr Reilly had set a “dangerous precedent” by getting approval for legislation without providing all information material to it.

She was speaking in a Dáil debate on a bill published by Mr Reilly on Jul 18 giving him sweeping power to recruit the first director general of the HSE without regard for normal recruitment procedures.