Quinn plays down Reilly rift
The Education Minister Ruairi Quinn is denying any rift between the Labour Party and the Minister for Health James Reilly.
It follows reports this morning that the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore is drawing up his own list of possible locations for the new Children's Hospital.
Minister Reilly is to bring a report on the new hospital and a recommendation on a site to cabinet but Minister Quinn says he understands it will be a couple of weeks before that happens, because everyone involved is very busy.
Speaking on his way into government buildings this morning, Quinn said there is no breakdown in relations between his party and Minister Reilly.
“No, I don’t think so (there is a rift). James Reilly has a very difficult job, the health services are in a very distressed state as we know.
“The HSE, organised originally by Micheál Martin and presided over by Mary Harney, is effectively dysfunctional. We’re trying to get it back on track.
“It’s not my area of responsibility but in terms of the overall financial structure it finds itself in, it is a very distressed area.”
