Update: Simon Harris survives vote of no confidence

Simon Harris has won his motion of no confidence after coming out on the right end of the Dáil vote this evening after the motion was defeated 58-53 with 40 abstaining.

Update: Simon Harris survives vote of no confidence

Simon Harris has won his motion of no confidence after coming out on the right end of the Dáil vote this evening after the motion was defeated 58-53 with 40 abstaining.

While a number of opposition TDs spoke out against the Minister throughout the Dáil session, Fianna Fáil's decision not to vote ensured the government didn't lose its Health Minister - a move which would have triggered a General Election.

Earlier: Simon Harris says quitting is not in his DNA.

The Health Minister is facing a motion of no confidence in the Dáil this evening which he's likely to win.

Though Fianna Fáil TDs have said they don't have confidence in the Minister - and are only abstaining because they don't want to risk an election with Brexit looming.

Simon Harris has been defending his job in the Dáil in the last hour:

"Ceann Comhairle we will build the National Children's Hospital after decades of debate, we will get to the bottom of what has gone wrong," he said.

"We will make sure lessons are learned.

"We will not walk away from this vital project. Sinn Féin walks away, you walked away from the Health Ministry in Northern Ireland when you held that position."

"You might quit, but quitting is not in my DNA, walking away is not an option."

Earlier: Fianna Fáil TDs have been described as "opportunistic cowards" over their decision not to support a motion of no confidence in Simon Harris.

The Dáil has started to debate the motion in the Health Minister.

Sinn Féin put down the motion because of his handling of the overruns at the National Children's Hospital.

Fianna Fáil will abstain - saying they can't collapse the government in the teeth of Brexit negotiations.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described Minister Harris as "a minister that is getting things done".

Sinn Féin's Health Spokesperson Louise O'Reilly says there won't be results by keeping this Minister in place:

"The simple fact is that nobody can defend it, nobody but you and the opportunistic cowards in Fianna Fáil.

"It is incompetence and a lack of ability which have brought us here today," she said.

Táiniste Simon Coveney spoke up in favour of his fellow cabinet member while Fianna Fáil's Stephen Donnelly was critical of the Health Minister.

"Fianna Fáil does not have confidence in this government when it comes to healthcare," he said, adding that the party would abstain as to not trigger a general election.

His Fianna Fáil colleague Barry Cowen took his speaking time to hit back at Sinn Féin saying his party would "not support acts of sabotage and treason"

Cork North-Central's Mick Barry and Richard Boyd-Barrett from Solidarity-People Before Profit as well as Mick Wallace of Independents 4 Change all spoke out against the Minister.

Earlier: Simon Harris is facing a vote of no confidence in the Dáil - however, the embattled Health Minister is expected to survive.

Should Fianna Fáil abstain as is expected the government should have enough votes to keep Minister Harris in the role.

94% of members of the National Association for GPs say they have no confidence in Minister Simon Harris.

Chief Executive of the NAGP Chris Goodey says its members have a number of issues with the Minister:

"Minister Harris has promised to reverse the major cuts that have happened over the last decade, amounting to about €2 billion - that hasn't happened.

"He has promised to introduce a new contract to general practice which is 45 years old - that hasn't happened," he added.

"We are seeing him preside over the incredible disaster of CervicalCheck, the mismanagement of the National Children's Hospital and I think general practice is saying ' we have had enough, we want a new Minister,'" he concluded.

Earlier: The NAGP polled 2,000 members this week ahead of a Dáil vote on a motion of no confidence in the Minister this evening.

Just 6% of them said they had confidence in Mr Harris as health minister.

The head of the NAGP has described the result as unsurprising adding that he believes Simon Harris has neglected General Practice.

Ahead of today's vote the Health Minister has also been accused of trying to destroy the reputation of the people who worked for Cervical Check.

The Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin says Simon Harris gave a cavalier dismissal of the team during a recent interview.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has defended the actions of his health minister in offering free re-checks on cervical smear tests - and his comments about the Cervical Check team.

We will be providing live coverage of today's Dáil debate when it begins at 3.30pm.

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