Harris survives
Health Minister Sinn Fein no-confidence motion after vote
SIMON survived a motion of no confidence in him as Health Minister last night.
But the bitter debate revealed the deep divisions and bad feeling between the parties in the Dail.
It was called primarily on the back of the scandal that has seen the budget for the National Children’s Hospital soar from €1billion to €1.7billion before a brick is barely laid.
However, once Fianna Fail announced it wouldn’t be backing Sinn Fein’s motion, the numb ers were never going to be there to oust Mr Harris.
What it did throw up though, was a clear appetite among some in Fianna Fail for an election.
Rebel TD John Mcguinness called on Fine Gael to “outline a timeline” for the wind-down of the Government, with indications coming from his side last night that after Easter Simon Harris when Brexit is hopefully settled might be a good time to “cut and run.”
This is not the position openly supported by the party leader Micheal Martin.
The voting finished with 53 supporting the motion, 58 against and 37 abstaining.
The debate saw some blistering attacks on Mr Harris, with Sinn Fein health spokeswoman Louise O’reilly saying he had “presided over a Bedroom laid bare in collapse litany of scandals”. Mr Harris hit back, accusing Sinn Fein of adopting a new policy of the “soapbox” in addition to the “ballot box and the armalite”.
Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein attacked each other during the debate nearly as much as highlighting the problems they have with the Health Minister.
Labour spokesman former junior minister Alan Kelly said: “Colleagues, I’m sick and tired of people referring to the Department of Health as Angola and that every minister that goes in there just tries to live to see the day when they will get out.
“That should not be the case.”
voted against motion with 53 in support and 37 TDS abstaining
A GRANDMOTHER was left devastated after her house collapsed on to a beach yesterday.
Grainne Hannigan was forced to flee her home after Fingal County Council said it was too unsafe following Storm Emma last year.
She held back tears after the property fell to the shore in Portrane, Co Dublin, exposing her granddaughter’s bedroom.
Grainne told RTE: “It was our home for 20 years. Effectively it’s worthless, I’ll never be able to build again on that piece of land.”
Her daughter and granddaughter were rehoused while Grainne moved in with her father whose house backs on to the site.
The council has hired a contractor to demolish the property in the next few days.