Ministers deny rift over Magee resignation

LABOUR AND Fine Gael Ministers have denied any rift over the failure of Fine Gael Minister for Health James Reilly to inform them about the resignation of Health Service Executive chief executive Cathal Magee.

“Relations are very good,” Minister for Communications Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte told reporters yesterday.

“There can be lapses of communication from time to time but the single-minded unified focus of the Government on economic recovery hasn’t changed and hasn’t been diluted by what happened.”

Asked about the implications of the Magee resignation episode, he said: “I really don’t want to make any further comment on that. What has happened has happened and, to be honest with you, I can’t say that I’m fully across it even at this stage.”

Asked if there were any tensions between the Government parties at the moment, Mr Rabbitte said: “I hope so. Any government that doesn’t have tensions won’t make the hard decisions that are necessary.”

But the Minister strongly rejected suggestions of a rift: “Not at all.”

Earlier, Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton suggested on the Newstalk Breakfast radio programme that tiredness might have been a factor.

“The actual business of government and the business of the Dáil is quite technical and quite detailed. In some ways, perhaps, as holidays approached, some people perhaps were more tired than others,” she said.

When it was put to her that the incident made Labour look foolish, she said: “The basis of good coalition government, like running a good business, is communication between the top team. If you don’t have good communication, you are going to build up problems.

“I think that Eamon [Gilmore] has restored those communications links. I think he has had an opportunity to speak with Minister Reilly.”

Asked if she was preparing a bid for the Labour Party leadership, she said: “The Labour Party has a leader. The Labour Party is proceeding.”

She added: “The members of the Labour Party are happy with that leader. The issue doesn’t arise.”

Asked if she had ambitions to lead the party at some stage, she said: “I’m never without ambition, for all sorts of things. But let me say this: the most important thing for the Labour Party and, may I say, for Fine Gael as well and for everybody in Leinster House, is to get the country back on its feet.”

Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald conceded there were “communications issues” within the Government over the departure of Mr Magee.

But she said the Tánaiste and Dr Reilly had addressed these issues and it was now time to “move on”.

Mr Magee had made a fine contribution to the health services and she described her own relationship with Dr Reilly as very good.

“Enough” had been said about the issue, she told journalists. “Let’s move on. It’s about reform, it’s about delivering services and we should be focusing on those issues.”

She said she was satisfied with the way the Government was progressing measures to counter alcohol abuse, which has been the focus of tension between Dr Reilly and his Minister of State, Róisín Shortall.

Ms Fitzgerald said Ms Shortall’s proposals, which have been opposed by some Fine Gael Ministers, were the subject of ongoing discussion.