Calls for Taoiseach to intervene in spat between Donnelly and McGuinness

Fianna Fáil Kilkenny TD John McGuinness, who is chair of the Oireachtas Finance Committee, has hit back at criticisms of him by Mr Donnelly, saying “his department is a shambles”

Fianna Fáil Kilkenny TD John McGuinness, who is chair of the Oireachtas Finance Committee, has hit back at criticisms of him by Mr Donnelly on RTÉ radio on Tuesday, saying “his department is a shambles”. Picture: Oireachtas TV/PA Wire

Taoiseach Micheàl Martin has been called on to intervene in the spiralling spat between health minister Stephen Donnelly and TD John McGuinness.

During a tetchy exchange at the weekly Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting, Mr McGuinness presented Mr Donnelly with a baby's soother, in a bid to suggest he was behaving like a child.

When Mr Donnelly refused to accept the soother and tried to walk away, Mr McGuinness asked Mr Donnelly did he want to give it to Robert, a reference to Mr Donnelly's top civil servant Robert Watt.

The exchange was noted with some amusement by those in attendance with several TDs criticising the incident as somewhat distasteful.

The incident followed a two-day spat between the two men during which Mr McGuinness said Mr Donnelly should resign.

Earlier, Mr Donnelly had been called to “fully account” for his actions in office or resign, a leading member of his own party has said.

Mr McGuinness, who is chair of the Oireachtas Finance Committee, has hit back at criticisms of him by Mr Donnelly on RTÉ radio on Tuesday, saying “his department is a shambles”.

On radio, Mr Donnelly was asked about the recent controversy about his trip to Dubai with his Secretary General Robert Watt at a time when Mr Watt’s salary was dominating the agenda as was the Kerry CAHMs crisis. Mr McGuinness was deeply critical of both men’s attendance at the trade fair in Dubai.

This scandal erupted after the Maskey report found “unreliable diagnoses, inappropriate prescriptions and poor monitoring of treatment and potential adverse effects” was exposing many children to the risk of significant harm.

Mr Donnelly said he was not engaging in “sniping” at his colleague, but said Mr McGuinness is the “last person he would take a lecture from”.

Mr McGuinnness, in comments to the Irish Examiner, said Mr Donnelly and his Secretary General Robert Watt has refused to appear before any committees to explain their actions on several issues including the awarding of salary of €300,000 to Mr Watt.

“That is a contemptuous act unbecoming of a Minister or a senior civil servant. In so doing, they have disrespected the Dail and laid a trail for others to follow that damages governance, accountability and transparency in this country. They should be ashamed of themselves,” he said.

“I believe both Minister Donnell and Secretary-General Watt should fully account for their actions to the Dail or resign,” he added.

Mr McGuinnness, in comments to the Irish Examiner, said Mr Donnelly and his Secretary General Robert Watt has refused to appear before any committees Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos

In his comments to the Irish Examiner, Mr McGuinness said Mr Donnelly’s comments were an attempt to divert attention from their unusual trip to Dubai and the circumstances of the extraordinary salary increase negotiated.

“It might be useful, despite what he says, if Mr Donnelly listened to a lecture from me, because his department is a shambles,” he said.

Mr McGuinness said he rejects entirely any attempt by Mr Watt or Mr Donnelly to use him in an effort to take the spotlight off their trip to Dubai, Mr Watt’s salary increase, or indeed the state of the Health Service and the Children’s Hospital on their watch.

The outspoken TD defended trips he took to Dubai when he was minister, on the basis he was Minister for Trade and it “was part of the job”.

“Mr Watt and Minister Donnelly are in the Department of Health and should have been on the front line dealing with the myriad problems of that department, rather than in Dubai at a trade fair,” he said.

Will they now say that the Minister for Trade & Commerce was looking after Health while they were away? If that is the case, perhaps they should have stayed away, because anyone would be better.

In relation to Mr Donnelly’s comments about his time as trade minister, Mr McGuinness said he went before the Public Accounts Committee to account for his actions as minister.

He said he did so because of respect for the procedures of the Dail and his belief that politicians have to be accountable for their actions.

“In relation to what I did or did not do when I was a minister let me say this: I appeared before the Public Accounts Committee for five hours to make my case and defend myself, during which Deputy John Deasy of Fine Gael said that I was the subject of a plot by Fine Gael and others to discredit me,” he said.

Mr McGuinness and Mr Donnelly have clashed on numerous occasions at the weekly Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meetings in recent weeks.