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

The Minister must clarify. He stated that it was an insult to the people of Balbriggan and Swords to suggest that they could only get their primary care centres by favouritism, but what is an insult to them is that the centres have been chosen in a manner that is open to questions of political favouritism. No one is insulting the people of those areas. The Minister is constantly trying to divert.

Regarding the site in Swords, the Minister was in a partnership with general practitioners, GPs, in a deal on a site that he stated fell through.

Is that partnership, or any people in it, involved with or receive benefit from the new site that has been chosen?

Will the Minister specify with whom in the Cabinet he had discussions before this final list was agreed? Was the matter discussed with the Tánaiste and the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, and did the Minister get the agreement of these Cabinet members? Why did the Minister not reach agreement with the then Minister of State, Deputy Shortall, before signing off on the issue?

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