The ever-growing case against James Reilly
JAMES Reilly has what is universally acknowledged to be one of the most challenging jobs in Cabinet. But his brief, as well as reforming the health service, also includes making sure that the service operates within budget.
This, to the publicly voiced displeasure of the Troika, he has singularly – and spectacularly – failed to do.
Obviously, a minister’s private affairs should have no bearing on his public responsibilities. Nevertheless, in the case of Dr Reilly, it would be impossible not to notice that operating within budget would appear to be as daunting a task to the minister in his private life as his public one. Not only was he brought to the High Court last week over an unpaid bill by the architects who designed a proposed medical centre in his constituency but, as the Mail today reveals, the minister now faces a fresh legal action.
This is over his €1.9million debts in connection with a nursing home development that went wrong – a scheme that has already resulted in Dr Reilly being named in Stubbs Gazette as a defaulter on the €1.9million debt.
Dr Reilly, at least as far as the public is concerned, is yet to resolve that matter.
How, therefore, are we supposed to have any confidence in Dr Reilly’s ability to manage a €13.4billion budget that has been hit with cuts of more than 20 per cent since 2008? Is it any wonder that the HSE is €50million over budget in the first five months of this year alone? And how can we expect Dr Reilly to bring that budget back into line without further compromising services?
There is a widespread belief that Dr Reilly is still in office because of his loyalty to Enda Kenny during the last leadership heave. That may well be the case.
But even the Taoiseach must now realise that his Health Minister is a busted flush – and that, the longer he remains in office, the more he compromises not only the future of the health service but that of the entire Government.