Reilly hits back at Shortall criticisms, commits to Programme for Government
29/09/2012 - 17:49:43
Minister for Health James Reilly has hit back at criticism from his former junior minister Roisín Shortall.
Unresolved tensions with James Reilly led Deputy Shortall to quit the position on Wednesday.
Today, she accused Minister Reilly of blocking efforts to reform the health service, of pursuing a "business model" for the health service, instead of a patient-led approach, and of not supporting the Programme for Government.
She also described the Minister's decision to locate two primary care centres in his own constituency as "stroke politics".
But in a statement issued this afternoon, Minister Reilly rejected the claim that he is not adhering to the Programme for Government. He said it was in fact Deputy Shortall who differed with the Programme, and that he intended to fully implement it.
The statement released by the Department of Health today:
"Deputy Shortall has made a series of claims which are inaccurate. Chief amongst them is the suggestion that Dr Reilly is not adhering to the Programme for Government.
"In fact it is Deputy Shortall who questions the Programme for Government.
"In her final words in her recent Dáil statement, Ms Shortall asked whether we should have a social insurance model or a commercial insurance model in establishing Universal Health Insurance.
"On page 34 of the Programme for Government, agreed by Labour and Fine Gael, is the following commitment: "Everyone will have a choice between competing insurers."
"It has already been agreed by both parties that Universal Health Insurance with competing insurance companies provides the best method for developing a single-tier health service with a dynamic for reducing costs and increasing efficiency.
"This is in the best interests of patients.
"Dr Reilly will implement the agreed Programme for Government."
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