Going, going ..Don
Taoiseach refuses to back health minister to remain
We will discuss at the end of the year the situation in terms of the various changeovers MICHEAL MARTIN SPEAKING IN DUBLIN YESTERDAY
TAOISEACH Micheal Martin yesterday refused to back Stephen Donnelly to remain on as Health Minister in the Christmas Cabinet reshuffle.
Speaking at the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis in the RDS, he endorsed Housing Minister Darragh O’brien staying on in his brief.
He listed the Government’s achievements in housing as reasons for Mr O’brien to remain in the challenging role.
The Taoiseach also provided a list of advances he believes the Coalition has made in health but would not commit to reinstating Mr Donnelly.
Speaking about the reshuffle he has to decide on, Mr Martin said: “I really believe Mr O’brien has brought a breadth in terms of the number of programmes we’ve brought to housing, in terms of the numbers of houses being built.
“We have a clear agreement with our partners in government in respect of key positions, but also that we will discuss at the end of the year the broader situation in terms of the various changeovers and so on.”
However, the Taoiseach then explained that Mr O’brien is already safe.
He added: “I made that clear last night, there was a certain context last night in terms of the homelessness figures.”
Mr Martin would not give the same assurance to Mr Donnelly, noting: “Again, as I said, in terms of health we have made much progress, especially in women’s health.
“In respect of the Government, the three party leaders will discuss that closer to the end of the year.
“You have my position on this, there was a context to last night’s questions, all of you know that.”
Mr Martin also did not rule out returning to the office of Taoiseach again after the next general election.
Fianna Fail’s eighth Taoiseach hands over the seal of office to Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar on December 15 as part of the Coalition deal.
It was widely expected that he would step down as Fianna Fail leader sometime after this landmark moment too.
On the topic of returning as Taoiseach, Mr Martin said on Friday: “Sure, who knows, we’re very determined. In the last poll we were at 24%.
“I’m making the point generally that people need to reflect a bit more in terms of when we’re commenting about who is going to be where in the future.
“Politics always throws up surprises.”
The Government is not planning for a mini-budget in the new year, the Taoiseach has said.
Mr Martin said the €11billion Budget unveiled earlier this week was designed to get the country through the winter period and said the situation would be kept “under review”.