Rabbitte defends Shortall

The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte has defended his party colleague Roisín Shortall for her failure to publically voice her support for the Health Minister, James Reilly.

The Junior Health Minister voted in support of Minister Reilly during a confidence vote in the Dáil last night but failed to mention him once during her speech.

Minister Rabbitte says Shortall's speech was designed to set out her policy within her own department.

He says he is confident Minister Reilly and Minister Shortall can work together: "There are different views. We have a coalition government in this country, like in Britain.

"They are two different parties and there are certainly areas where the two parties see things differently.

"But in terms of the challenge of reforming the Irish health service, and getting better value for money, we are absolutely at one."