Tánaiste tries to tiptoe around political landmine of Angola Two

DÁIL SKETCH:HEAR NO evil, speak no evil. That seems to be the Government's mantra when asked about relations between the Angola Two.

Fine Gael Minister for Health James Reilly and Labour Minister of State Róisín Shortall are locked in deadly political combat in the department once famously described by Brian Cowen as “Angola”.

Shortall primed a political landmine on Wednesday night when she failed to even mention Reilly’s name during a debate on Opposition motions of no confidence in his stewardship.

These days landmines are everywhere, and the Angola Two are reportedly not even on speaking terms.

The third Minister of State in the department, Labour’s Kathleen Lynch, who expressed confidence in Reilly, must be watching the outbreak of hostilities with growing concern for their political safety.

Yesterday Shortall’s Labour boss, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, could shed no fresh light when challenged on relations between the Angola Two.

He was taking Opposition Leaders’ Questions, as he does on Thursdays.

There was no sign of Shortall or Reilly in the chamber. Lynch was a stoical presence on the junior ministerial benches behind Gilmore.

Fianna Fáil’s Dara Calleary scented political blood. He asked Gilmore if he had talked to Shortall about her working relationship with Reilly. Had she ever discussed with him the concerns she outlined in her Dáil speech? Had she discussed her concerns about the delays in her being given delegated powers? Had Gilmore even taken it upon himself, as Labour leader and Tánaiste, to discuss what was, very apparently, a broken working relationship in the Department of Health?

Gilmore, who has to keep an eye on international war zones in his foreign affairs brief, was not prepared to give his view of the hostilities among the Angola Two. He said he had heard Shortall’s contribution to the confidence debate, as he had heard the Reilly and Lynch contributions.

“I also heard the collective voice of this House, which voted by a margin of two to one . . . and every Government deputy commending the Minister for Health for the reforms that have been undertaken to date . . . More in 18 months than you did in 14 years . . .” There was no mention of calling in the United Nations. Nor was there a reference to an explosive political fallout if the Angola Two stepped up their political warfare.

Gilmore accused Fianna Fáil of making health a “political issue”, which, you understand, would never have crossed a Labour or Fine Gael mind in opposition.

He had discussed health policy delivery with Shortall and Reilly several times at the relevant Cabinet subcommittee.

But he made no reference to the political health of the relationship between the Angola Two.

He spoke of the “strong team” led by Reilly, Shortall and Lynch. Lynch allowed herself a smile in response to Opposition taunts.

Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald suggested relationship counselling to heal the Reilly-Shortall rift.

But is it a case of irretrievable breakdown in that unhappy land of political landmines?