Halligan and McGrath at odds over Alliance stance

A MAJOR split has developed within the Independent Alliance as ministerial colleagues John Halligan and Finian McGrath clashed over the group’s position on the Sisters of Charity’s control of the new National Maternity Hospital

Mr Halligan reiterated his warning that the Independent Alliance ‘should make clear their opposition to this deal’.

He also claimed that his colleagues, Mr McGrath and Shane Ross were equally angry, saying ‘I know Ross is furious and Finian is getting crucified on the issue’.

However, senior Independent Alliance figures moved to defuse the row with Mr McGrath saying his priority was ‘getting the Maternity Hospital constructed’.

He said that he would not ‘want to do anything to prevent the construction of a new hospital, what we have is from the dark ages and we have to move on’.

Mr McGrath added: ‘I would be on Rhona Mahony’s side on this that we should move on now and we can resolve the governance issues later’.

Mr Halligan, however, warned: ‘Rhona Mahony won’t always be there, what happens if the next person is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.’

Sources from within the Alliance also noted: ‘No-one is bringing down any governments over this. John is very secular, we are more pluralist, more pragmatic about these issues’.

Mr Halligan said ‘a State maternity hospital should be run by the State, if the nuns want to run one they can build one’.

He added he would ‘urge my Independent Alliance reject this deal and make that rejection forcibly known at Cabinet’.