Joan Burton says James Reilly must take responsibility on medical cards

Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has said Minister for Health James Reilly will have to be responsible for his decisions in the medical card crisis and health service budget generally.

Ms Burton said she disagreed with Dr Reilly’s claim that “political will” and consensus at Cabinet to fix the problem with the removal of discretionary medical cards only emerged in recent weeks.

“I actually don’t agree with him there because I think the desire has been among everybody in the Cabinet, and it’s a collective Cabinet and the Cabinet makes collective decisions, of which I’m a part but of which he is also very much a part,” she said.

“I don’t really understand, because Dr Reilly was at the Cabinet table and he was a party to those discussions. Obviously as the line Minister, as with me, I’ve made decisions, I have to stand over those decisions, Dr Reilly himself would also have to be responsible for his decisions. But the Cabinet collectively is also responsible. The key thing is that we get a reformed health service.”

Speaking to Seán O'Rourke on RTÉ Radio One this morning, Ms Burton said she expected she would work very well with Taoiseach Enda Kenny. She praised the work of Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin.

Ms Burton confirmed “there will be changes” at Cabinet if she was elected Labour leader.

She said large numbers of people refrained from voting in the local and European elections. They “didn’t want to vote for the extremes” who had a vision that people could “have everything and pay for nothing”, she said.

Ms Burton said Labour would be “renewing itself as a force” ahead of the next General Election.