JAMES REILLY HAS come under fire after his defence in the Dáil last night, with opposition figures saying that significant questions remain unanswered.
The Minister for Health is facing criticism for delivering a single personal statement at the end of the day’s business, and declining to take questions from TDs.
Fianna Fáil justice spokesperson Dara Calleary said if Reilly was “confident in his case”, he would have answered queries from the opposition over his appearance in a debt defaulters list.
Saying that the Dáil statement had not resolved the minister’s problems, Calleary also urged Reilly to place money for his share of the debt into a separate bank account. He told Newstalk Breakfast:
The reality is this morning he is still in contravention of a High Court order, and we have no indication of when that is going to be resolved. We would challenge him to release his share of the settlement into an account, to show that he realises how serious that is.
Sinn Féin health spokesperson Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said Reilly had “not dispelled the concerns of those who believe there is a conflict of interest” in his state in a nursing home.
The Minister has left questions unanswered. He chose to make a ‘personal explanation’ under Dáil standing orders rather than to make his statement and then give Deputies the opportunity to question him.
Speaking to the Dáil last night, Reilly strongly denied that he had a conflict of interest through his investment in the nursing home. He said he had acted with “complete propriety” in his business affairs.
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