Unacceptable Reilly probe a ‘misunderstanding’

A “completely unacceptable” attempt by Health Minister James Reilly to access detailed files on potential primary care sites has been described as a “misunderstanding” by high-ranking officials.

The situation has been revealed in internal correspondence between an assistant for Dr Reilly and the Department of Health secretary-general, Ambrose McLoughlin.

Freedom of Information records show that, two months after the resignation of health junior minister Roisin Shortall over claims that Dr Reilly was interfering in what new centres were chosen, the minister’s assistant, Tom O’Leary, sought a detailed progress report on the issue.