The four Independent TDs who support the Government are to come under pressure today to give their backing to a Labour Party motion of no confidence in the Minister for Health, Mr Cowen.
The four - Ms Mildred Fox, Mr Jackie Healy-Rae, Mr Harry Blaney and Mr Tom Gildea - are to meet the Tallaght Hospital Action Group, which will ask them to press the Minister for extra funding in return for their support in tomorrow night's confidence vote.
A spokesman for the action group, Mr Richie O'Reilly, said last night he had spoken to Ms Fox, who had been "very sympathetic" and arranged for the group to meet her fellow Independent TDs today. The Minister has said he will meet the Labour motion head-on. Mr Cowen, who was the subject of trenchant criticism at the Fine Gael Ardfheis, said he "looks forward" to the debate as it "affords me an opportunity to put out the facts".
He would quickly dispel the "political amnesia" that took over the Fine Gael Ardfheis and remind the party leader, Mr John Bruton, and the Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, how much they had done for the health services when they were in office. "To become the bete noire of the Fine Gael Ardfheis is the ultimate compliment, particularly when the argument against me seems to be based on personal abuse rather on the substance of the issues," the Minister said.
At the ardfheis the Fine Gael health spokesman, Mr Alan Shatter, described Mr Cowen as a "rhinoceros in heat ". The Fine Gael front bench will today consider the Labour motion, which simply calls on the Dail to state that it has no confidence in the Minister. Fine Gael is certain to support the motion but provided the Independent TDs maintain their support for the Government, the move will be defeated.
The board of the hospital is to meet today before handing over the new service plan to the Minister. The plan is expected to contain proposals for over 100 job cuts, a move that would bring the hospital closer to industrial action.