Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The credibility of the Minister, Deputy Reilly, was dented and completely undermined long before his latest stroke. The involvement of the Minister for Health in private medicine and nursing homes at a time when those services in the public sector are being cut back and, in many instances, closed raises the most fundamental issue as to his suitability to hold the ministry. He clearly has a direct and evident conflict of interest.

Then there was the debacle around the €130 million of cuts to be visited on personal assistant hours, home care packages and home care hours, which led to the motion of no confidence in the Minister. Labour Party and Fine Gael backbenchers wrestled with their consciences and won, and they voted confidence in the Minister.

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