Halligan must decide on his Government role in coming days

Junior Minister John Halligan must come to his own decision on whether to continue in Government in the coming days, according to sources in Fine Gael as well as the Independent Alliance.

The Independent Alliance will meet in the coming days to discuss the ongoing controversy, with one source in the group describing an interview given by Mr Halligan to the Sunday Independent as a "proper rant".

Mr Halligan, the Minister of State for Training, Skills and Innovation, is continuing to insist that Fine Gael provide a second catheterisation lab at University Hospital Waterford, despite an independent clinical review recommending against such a view.

He did not answer calls last night, but told RTÉ News he would resign if he had to.

No meeting

The Waterford deputy has requested that Minister for Health

Simon Harris

meet consultants attached to the hospital, but Mr Harris has said he will not do so.

The Minister has said he will adhere to the recommendations of the review, which was included in the programme for government.

The interview given by Mr Halligan to the Sunday Independent, in which he threatened to "bring all hell down" on top of the Government if it failed to deliver the cath lab, raised eyebrows right across Government.

He also criticised a series of Fine Gael Ministers, accusing them of “dirty politics”.

A number of sources in Fine Gael said the tone of the interview made it almost impossible for Mr Halligan to continue in Government.

Shocked by tone

Some members of the Independent Alliance were also understood to be shocked by the tone used by Mr Halligan in the interview.

One source said: “John has to decide now what he wants to do.”

Another said they were still not sure of Mr Halligan’s intentions, saying they believed he was going to resign last week.

Kevin “Boxer” Moran, who Mr Halligan referred to as “an idiot” in the newspaper interview, indicated that the other members of the alliance were committed to remaining in Government even if Mr Halligan resigned.

Mr Moran said he is “committed to the programme for government, the progress of the Government and passing the Budget”.

Speaking to The Irish Times yesterday, Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe said the "allocation of resources within our health system must be determined by independent clinical evaluation and choices".