Taoiseach refuses to apologise to Sinn Féin over health budget claim 

Simon Harris hit out at Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald for what he called 'faux outrage' over the health service

Taoiseach Simon Harris said Sinn Féin's alternative health budget had 'disappeared and vanished like Shergar'. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/ RollingNews.ie

The Taoiseach has said he is not apologising to Sinn Féin for claiming that the party had deleted its health budget from its website.

During angry exchanges over health during Leaders' Questions, Simon Harris said Sinn Féin's alternative health budget had "disappeared and vanished like Shergar from its website" after he had raised it yesterday — prompting contradictions from the opposition benches.

The document remains available on the Sinn Féin website, but Mr Harris said he did not apologise and there was no indication that he will correct the Dáil record on the issue.

Mr Harris hit out at Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald for what he called "faux outrage" over the health service.

"I find it absolutely fascinating that every day, deputy McDonald comes into the Dáil and she's got all the solutions for the health service," he said.

She's going to fix this, she's going to fix that, she got to fix the other. She has the faux outrage raring to go. 

"At the end of the day, she published a budget that offered €500m less than ours. She specifically says she would provide €1.5bn in additional funding, we provided well over €2bn, so Sinn Féin would have underfunded the health service, would have provided less funding. 

"Yet, they would have had more beds, more staff, [and] less waiting times. Come on now, let's get real," Mr Harris said.

The Taoiseach told the Dáil: "I'm fed up of this populist politics. We face real challenges in our country, of course we do, and we should have the good grace to address them with the seriousness they deserve."

Sinn Féin spokesperson on health David Cullinane said Mr Harris' comments were 'pathetic and beneath the Taoiseach'. Picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins

During the Dáil exchanges, Sinn Féin's health spokesperson David Cullinane said that the Taoiseach was guilty of "misinformation".

Mr Cullinane said Sinn Féin had provided €1bn in health spending above that which was actually delivered. He said Mr Harris' comments were "pathetic and beneath the Taoiseach". 

Ms McDonald said that she was "astonished by the Taoiseach's approach" to the issue of hospital cancellations.

"It appears that he wishes to argue statistical presentational issues. He is not challenging, I am sure, the fact that there were a 250,000 hospital cancellations," Ms McDonald said.

"The Taoiseach accepts that, does he? 

Does he accept also that there were 800 cancellations of chemotherapy appointments for children?

"I do not care whether he thanks me. His view of me is irrelevant on this issue. I want it sorted out."

Speaking at a special European Council summit in Brussels, Mr Harris also rejected the idea that he is inexperienced at an international level.

"I've been Taoiseach for just over a week and this is my second time in Brussels. I've had meetings with six European prime ministers, I've met the three presidents of the European institutions, I've been a minister or minister of state for 10 years, I've been around the Cabinet table for eight years, so I think I do bring a fair depth of governmental experience to this role. 

"But, of course, attending your first European Council is a first and has to be a first for everybody at some point."

Mr Harris added that his party's position within the European People's Party grouping meant that he was in the political grouping with the largest number of prime ministers in Europe.