Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

I do not know if the Minister is a fan of the late actor Humphrey Bogart but when it comes to the selection of primary health care centres in Balbriggan, Rick's joint in Casablanca definitely comes to my mind. Of all the streets, of all the areas in all of Balbriggan, the primary care centre would land in the lap of a Fine Gael businessman, a contributor to Fine Gael and a supporter of the Minister. Not only that but according to the Irish Independent, ACC Bank and Treasury Holdings have judgments on two tranches of that site. Therefore, a lease with the Health Service Executive would increase the value of this site enormously, thus alleviating the financial difficulties of the Fine Gael supporter in question. The gentleman who was given the lease is also a contributor to Fine Gael.

When the Minister assumed office, the Taoiseach told us with great conviction that this kind of political cronyism, stroke pulling and the like was with Fianna Fáil in its political grave and that we were in an era of transparency and honesty. The Labour Party, before it developed this most acute strain of Stockholm syndrome after being taken hostage by Fine Gael, also promised similarly. In respect of any ordinary person outside the political establishment looking at this fiasco over the selection of primary health care centres, what conclusion does the Minister think would be reasonable for him or her to draw? Would it not be that this was, unfortunately, a return to old practices, political stroke pulling and cronyism in north Dublin, an area in which certain individuals and a particular party excelled in those practices which have now been revived by the Government?

What is the Minister's relationship with the owner of this site? What is his political relationship? Has he any business connections with this person? What was the process of this site being selected? Has the Minister had any discussions with this person?

Have any representatives of the Minister had discussions with this person? Was the Minister kept informed of circumstances as they developed? What role did he play in the selection of the site in question?

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