Every member of Cabinet supports Health Minister, says Howlin
Minister for Health James Reilly has the full support of every member of Cabinet, Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin claimed today.
Minister Howlin joined Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore in giving their full support to their under-pressure Coalition colleague.
The Health Minister is under pressure over spending in his Department following Opposition calls for his resignation.
Minister Reilly has said he has no intention of stepping down.
This morning on their way into Government Buildings, the Tánaiste and Minister Howlin gave him their full backing.
Minister Howlin said: "I've confidence in James, he's doing a very difficult job in a very challenging time, he's doing it very well.
"He has the full support, not only of me, my Department, but every member of the Cabinet."
"It's a difficult job," said Tánaiste Gilmore. "It's a job for which he has the full support of Government, and he's going to continue with it, with our full support."
The Tánaiste also ruled out any u-turn on cuts to medical card entitlements.
The Government has lowered the threshold for medical cards for over 70s and has ordered a review of the scheme.
Pensioners will protest outside Leinster House today over the decision.
However, the Tánaiste insisted that there will be no reversal.
"No, the Budget has been agreed by Government as it stands, and what we're now focused on is getting out of the bailout ," he said.
"That is the big national objective that we have to achieve.
"I think there were many people at the beginning of the lifetime of this Government who doubted if we would be able to do that, we intend to do that before the end of the year, [to] get back our county's economic sovereignty."
