Labour's Kathleen Lynch: Micheál Martin had 'more reports than Murdoch' when Health Minister

A government minister has defended James Reilly's record as Health Minister after Micheál Martin said appointing him was Enda Kenny's worst mistake in the health sector.

Junior Minister Kathleen Lynch, who is running for re-election in Cork North Central, said Micheál Martin did not cover himself with glory when he was in the Department of Health.

Today, the Labour leader Joan Burton said Micheál Martin "was always one report away from the perfect HSE".

And Kathleen Lynch agreed, saying Deputy Martin had "more publications at the time than Rupert Murdoch", with 120 reports.

"I don’t do personalised attacks on people, and I think it's beneath Micheál Martin to make comments than that. He didn’t cover himself in glory when he was Minister for Health," she said