Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Has the Minister established why Mr. Murphy sought at first to distance himself from him and said he had only seen the Minister on television? A photograph, of course, speaks a thousand words, and that is what we saw this morning.

Can the Minister confirm that he added the 15 locations, including Balbriggan and Swords, to the list of 20 drawn up by former Minister of State, Deputy Róisín Shortall, for the development of primary care centres? Can he confirm that it was he who added those locations to the list, and not his predecessor, Ms Mary Harney, as was claimed this morning by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn?

The Minister was on the Pat Kenny radio show this morning. What a performance. He tried to excuse his lack of communication with the former Minister of State responsible for primary care by saying to Mr. Pat Kenny that he "spoke to senior Labour Ministers" about his proposed primary care centre locations. That is a matter of considerable interest. To which senior Labour Ministers did the Minister speak about this matter, and when did he do so? Why did he not deem it appropriate to speak to the responsible, designated Minister of State at his Department, a party colleague of the Labour Ministers? I am sure the Ministers from the Labour Party, and all Members in this House, including the Independents, are very interested in hearing the reply of the Minister for Health because the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, denied only last Thursday in this House, when questioned by my party colleague, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald, that there was any consultation on the part of the Minister for Health with her or any senior Labour Party Minister.

Let me refer to the criteria used. In his written replies to me and other Deputies last week, the Minister referred repeatedly to the criteria for selection as relating to public private partnerships. What are the criteria for selection by the other methods, including lease and Exchequer funding? Do separate criteria exist for these and will the Minister tell us what they are?

It appears the Balbriggan site is to be developed by lease arrangement, yet it was put on the list of those sites on which progress may be made by public private partnership. On what basis are locations switched between the lists? What is the position on the eight locations chosen for development with Exchequer funding? Is eight the correct number? We are not talking about a total of 35 at all. There are at least another eight, perhaps. Has the Minister signed off on this number and the locations? Is he aware that the former Minister of State, Deputy Shortall, denies that she switched locations on the lists, as the Minister's spokesperson claimed to The Irish Times. There is a clear and absolute denial of the practice on the part of the former Minister of State. Why, therefore, were some of the locations redacted from documents obtained under the freedom of information legislation? Why was this practice employed in this instance?

The Minister spoke this morning about a swamp. It is one entirely of his own creation.

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