Health Minister confidence debate
Senators dispute whether the Balbriggan site and wider health-service controversy warrant a confidence debate, with Government supporters defending the Minister and urging Members to let the Department proceed.
May happy relations long continue. It is delightful to hear Senator Darragh O'Brien state that Balbriggan's need is beyond doubt and therefore there is no argument about it. However, the Senator is being unnecessarily pernickety about the site. It is obvious the Minister, Deputy Reilly, has no personal gain or interest in this matter.
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On a point of order and to clarify the record, I never stated the Minister had an interest in it. All I did was question why we are not-----
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Senator Paul Coghlan, without interruption, although the Senator is being provocative.
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I accept what Senator Darragh O'Brien said.
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No. We should all butt out of this and allow the health people to get on with it, which is what the Minister wants to do.
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Is that what the Minister said to Deputy Róisín Shortall?
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We should not get into arguments about this. We do not need a confidence debate in this House. The Minister is a Member of the other House which has dealt with the issue. That is all I have to say.