MINISTER FOR Health James Reilly is divesting himself of his business interests in the health sector to avoid any potential conflicts of interest in his new post, according to his spokesman.
He has instructed his solicitor to sell his one-quarter share in a nursing home in Co Tipperary and has handed over his medical practice in north Dublin to another doctor, the spokesman said.
Dr Reilly has also taken his name off the register of GPs maintained by the Medical Council and has taken leave of absence from the GMS medical card scheme administered by the HSE.
From this summer, GPs will be required to show they are undertaking ongoing training as part of a professional competence scheme. Dr Reilly’s spokesman said he would be unable to fulfil this requirement because of his new duties and had therefore asked to be taken off the register.
Dr Reilly took leave of absence from the GMS scheme on March 9th, the day he was appointed Minister, the spokesman said. He was no longer involved in running his GP practice in Lusk.
The Minister will not be in receipt of any income from State schemes including the medical card scheme while he is a member of the Government, the spokesman said. Dr Reilly, a former president of the Irish Medical Organisation, has extensive business and property interests and his GP practice has earned more than €340,000 a year in GMS fees.
The code of conduct and ethics of the Standards in Public Office Commission requires a minister to dispose of or set aside financial interests that might conflict or be seen to conflict with his or her position. The HSE declined to comment on individual contracts with GPs, but a spokeswoman said she understood the transfer of responsibility for Dr Reilly’s practice to another doctor was “in train”.
In the register of TDs’ interests published last week, Dr Reilly disclosed ownership of a commercial building in Lusk, comprising a surgery, offices, pharmacy, supermarket, bookmakers, barbers, restaurant, apartments and sites for three houses.
He owns a quarter share of the Green Hills nursing home in Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary. He also has a one-third share of a commercial site in Swords which is to be developed as a “one-stop shop” medical centre.
Dr Reilly declares ownership of 150 acres of land at Moneygall, Co Offaly. In filings at the Companies’ Registration Office, he gives his address as Loughton House, a 19th-century period house in Moneygall. The spokesman said Dr Reilly had two residences, but his home was in Rush.