O'Malley meant no offence, says Ahern

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern again defended Tim O'Malley in the face of renewed Opposition calls for him to be removed as Minister of State for Health.

Mr Ahern said it was wrong to claim that Mr O'Malley or anybody else in the Government was not paying total attention to mental health.

"Minister O'Malley has clearly stated he was making a point about a scheme. He meant no offence to parents or staff. He has made that position clear, and it should not be repeated when the Minister makes something clear."

Mr O'Malley caused controversy this week when he told an RTÉ Prime Timespecial that some health professionals liked having long waiting lists and it made them feel powerful.

He intervened in heated Dáil exchanges yesterday when reference was made to remarks he made some time ago about the nature of psychiatric illness.

When Labour leader Pat Rabbitte referred to his unsuitability for the health portfolio, Mr O'Malley remarked: "In your opinion. And you are not always right." He added that a majority of psychiatrists supported him.

Mr Rabbitte said the Taoiseach seemed to think it was fine that Mr O'Malley could say he had apologised to the psychiatrists. "Did he apologise to the parents?"

While Mr O'Malley might be well suited to other aspects of Government, it was transparent he had no feel for the health area, that he did not understand it and that he did not empathise with it.

Mr Ahern said there had been calls for Mr O'Malley to clarify his remarks. "He did that. Minister O'Malley complimented the RTÉ programme. I saw most of the programme last night. What he had said in the programme was outlining the details.

"What he said last January and March was that there were harrowing details of real cases where families had been subjected to inordinate delays to get assessment and treatment.

"He fully accepted that waiting lists are real and that many people have been waiting for too long for psychiatric services."

Mr Ahern said the Minister of State had also said he acknowledged the work done by the psychiatric services.

"Of course, so do I. This is a service that works hard. And as I said yesterday, that is why, over the past number of years, we have trebled resources which have been staff resources."

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny accused Mr O'Malley of making "a half-hearted statement of regret, not an apology, but a regret that he was caught out".

Mr Kenny said last February Mr O'Malley told the Dáil "that the constant reiteration and repetition about the problems in the mental health services is becoming a bit tiresome".

Mr O'Malley, he added, regarded the fact that there were 3,000 people on the waiting list as being deliberately put there by psychiatrists who wanted to use their power and influence.

There had been plans for the building of seven specialised units. The HSE was clearly hanging Mr O'Malley out to dry given that it said it would be 2008 or 2009 before four units would be available. The Minister of State had said they would be operational by 2006.

Addressing the Taoiseach, Mr Kenny said: "You said yesterday that, in respect of these very vulnerable people, the Minister is doing the job to the best of his ability. I happened to see a programme last night where one of those psychiatrists said that Minister O'Malley should go down to one of their group meetings where they are now only able to deal with people who either inflict self-harm or are clearly suicidal."

He said Mr Ahern was standing over the competence and statements of a Minister of State who had said it was all a bit tiresome. "Do you believe it is a bit tiresome, Taoiseach?"

Green Party leader Trevor Sargent said it was incredible to listen to the Taoiseach trying to claim that everything was fine.

"And you hear the Taoiseach saying that Mr O'Malley is doing his best, leave him alone. I have to wonder, Taoiseach, if you understand the degree of shortfall, problems and trauma created for people with an intellectual disability and their families."