THE IRISH TIMES Thursday,February21 ,2019 Home News 7 and Minister sit back sucking Harris survives Polo mints while SF tears into FF SF motion by five votes

Debate marked by heated exchanges between Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil Miriam MARIE O’HALLORAN cheque”. She said “sleeveen Lord politics is now the orderofthe Minister for Health Simon day.Thisisacoalition in all DáilSketch Harrishas survived aSinn but name.” Muchofthe de- Féin motion of no confidence bate was spent in trading in- At one point there by 58 votesto53with 37 ab- sults betweenFianna Fáiland stentions when a Sinn Féin with SinnFéin’s was even acall walk-through vote was called. calling for Fian- Mr Harris survived when as na Fáil leader Micheál Martin for the Fianna Fáil expected under the “to go”. leader’s resignation confidence-and-supply ar- Fianna Fáilhealth spokes- rangement Fianna Fáil ab- man said stained as did Independent Sinn Féin wanted to “com- TD CatherineConnolly, while plete their hat-trick and bring and Simon Independents , the Dáil down” after they re- Harris settled into their front MichaelLowry and Denis fusedtotake theirseats in bench seats as TDs trickled into Naughten voted with the Gov- Westminster and had “pulled the chamber for the big debate. ernment. Former down” the Executive in North- Sinn Féin had moved a TD voted motion of no confidence in with Sinn Féin as did the other Harris as Minister for Health, parties and Independents. who wore aworried expres- In the debate Taoiseach sion, his face pale and pinched Leo Varadkar staunchly de- –which is the way he looks all fended Mr Harris and de- the time. The Taoiseach scribed him as the Minister produced astubby roll of Polo “for getting things done”, and offered his colleague a while he accusedSinn Féin of mint, then popped one into his being “trigger happy” withits The own mouth. sixth no confidencemotion in They sat back, sucking their three years. Government sweets, while Sinn Féin’s Some eight Cabinet Minis- would build the Louise O’Reilly opened the ters flanked Mr Harriswith children’s‘‘ hospital debate on behalf of her party. more thanadozenMinisters She concentrated mainly on set the tone by explaining they Then he attacked Sinn Féin. “And you’re keeping them ■ Minister for health Simon of State in attendance. and ‘get to the the stated subject of their were not willing “to stand on Simon Harris stood and there!” whooped Sinn Féin’s Harris: big Government Mr Harrishit out at Sinn bottom of what motion, but it didn’t take her the sidelines and let the spoke in support of himself. . turnout with most of the Féin, saying that“to the ballot has gone wrong. long to start throwing shade at Government off the hook And then he attacked Sinn After refusing to take seats Cabinet mustering in ashow box and theArmalite, they the real object of the exercise: ...unlike the men and women Féin. in Westminster and bringing of support for their colleague. have added the soap box and But we will not Fianna Fáil. At one point in the of Fianna Fáil”. There was abrief frisson down the Northern Ireland PHOTOGRAPH: JAMES FORDE the no-confidence motion”. walk away from party’s political pile-in, there Her party leader agreed, when astrange man walked Executive, Donnelly countered He said the Government this vital project’ was even an impassioned call following the pattern of the into the Dáil chamber and sat that Fianna Fáil wouldn’t “let wouldbuildthechildren’shos- for the resignation of Micheál evening by attacking the Harris got stuck into on the Government benches you complete the hat-trick” by more why we support you,” he pitaland “get to the bottom of Martin. Minister for Health and the Sinn Féin, with the beside Minister for Enterprise bringing down the Irish boomed, as avery serious-look- what has gone wrong and we ern Ireland.His party had no The Fianna Fáil leader Government for the state of the until Government too. ing Marc MacSharry nodded will ensurelessons are confidence in the Minister, wasn’t even in the chamber. health service before rounding clunky ‘to the ballot people realised it was TD As Sinn Féin continued to gravely in the adjoining seat. learned”. but to voteagainsthim “is to It was well over an hour into on Fine Gael for protecting its ‘‘box and Armalite Dara Murphy, who spends niggle its opposition rivals, Then the Leas Cheann “But we will not walk away trigger ageneral election”, the proceedings before La- man and Fianna Fáil for they have added the most of his time in Brussels on Donnelly’s colleague, Mary Comhairle halted proceedings from this vital project.” which wouldmean no parlia- bour’s stood up, protecting Fine Gael. FG business. Butler, shouted “Is this a briefly to welcome the Maltese Introducing the motion, mentary oversight of Cervical- folded his arms across his chest “Sleeveen politics is now the soap box and no As Harris got stuck into Sinn motion of no confidence in the minister for foreign affairs to Sinn Féin health spokeswom- Check and losing any chance and declared: “This has to be, order of the day in Fianna confidence motion’ Féin, with the clunky “to the Minister for Health or in the Distinguished Visitors an Louise O’Reilly described of gettingthe costs of the chil- in the history of this Dáil, the Fáil.” ballot box and Armalite they Fianna Fáil?” Gallery. the Minister as being “out of dren’s hospital down. most bizarre no-confidence have added the soap box and Meanwhile, Meanwhile, Mick Wallace, his depth”. She said even Mr Dissident Fianna Fáil TD motion ever.” Sniggering no-confidence motion” and was so annoyed with the Sinn nonplussed at how the contract Harris’smost ardent support- John McGuinness said: “I He wasn’t wrong there. Mary Lou McDonald was through the years before references to the party walking Féin attacks that he wasn’t his for building the children’s er could not defend his record don’t know why we sit on our There was abig Government followed by her colleague John delighting onlookers by calling away from their responsibili- usual articulate self when hospital came about, wondered as she listed alengthy series of hands”and supportthe turnout for Simon Harris, with Brady, who began with aquote for Micheál Martin’s resigna- ties to the Department of attempting to hurl afew verbal if Ireland wasn’t more dysfunc- health service problemsin- Government.Hecalled for most of the Cabinet mustering from his fellow Wicklow TD tion. As he was on his feet Health in Northern Ireland, his spears. He ended up by implor- tional than Venezuela. He cluding the costoverruns at “an orderly wind-down of the in ashow of support for their and FF spokesman on health, roaring, his colleague Martin colleagues grunted and ing the Minister for Health to found the whole episode the new children’s hospital. Government”. colleague. Former minister Stephen Donnelly. Ferris was sitting afew rows snorted in appreciation. “pull up your socks”. demoralising. Fianna Fáil enterprise Frances Fitzgerald sat directly “Thanks, John” said Ste- behind him and also roaring, “The macho Fine Gael boys “This afternoon’s political ‘Finalstraw’ spokesman told in front of her erstwhile phen. conducting aprivate shouting are on form now,” sniffed Mary Partyline theatre, from all sides of the Ms O’Reilly said the motion the Minister“alittle contri- political protégé, while Minis- They were chuckling among match with nearby FF TDs. Lou. The only bit of drama was when House, has been utterly was not “rushed, vindictive or tion wouldn’t go astray in ter for Public Expenditure themselves on the Fine Gael Then the Taoiseach spoke in stood and dissident Soldier of Destiny demoralising,” added Clare personalised”but the hospital terms of your tweets” and eve- –aman with side as Brady bellowed “It’s up support of his Minister for spoke in support of the other John McGuinness rose to Daly. overspendrepresentedthe“fi- rything was“poorly handled”. more than awalk-on part in the to Fianna Fáil to put up or shut Health, saying he understands Simon. And then he attacked speak. Would he denounce his Alan Kelly found it all nalstraw”for herpartyand de- He called for more action and current controversy over the up.” how difficult the job is, as he Sinn Féin. party for supporting the bizarre. “A situation where scribed Fianna Fáil as “oppor- for Mr Harris to “stay off the cost of the national children’s But then, even the Fianna once held the position. “Ouch!” shrugged acon- Government and refuse to toe Fianna Fáil don’t seem to have tunistic cowards”. Twitter machine”. He told hospital –also lined out for the Fáil TDs were sniggering. “You ran away from it temptuous Mary Lou. the party line by abstaining in confidence in Sinn Féin, Sinn Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou Sinn Féin “you thrive on cha- team. “Fightin’ talk,” giggled Anne yourself,” chimed Mattie the vote? Well, he would have Féin don’t seem to have McDonald slated the Minis- os” and said “there is adiffer- Rabbitte. McGrath and Michael Humaneoffensive voted no confidence in the confidence in anyone” and a ter’s post on Twitter when he ence between being aparty of Broken-backedcamels The FF bashing continued Healy-Rae. That had TDs on all Fianna Fáil’s health spokes- Government but he wouldn’t Minister in “a bizarre situation moved to “puff out your chest Opposition and apartyofop- As Sinn Féin TDs queued up to from Sinn Féin, from Caoimh- sides laughing. Leo then man, Stephen Donnelly, do it to an individual Minister. whereby the focus isn’t even on and to declare, ‘bring it on’.” portunism”. justify moving their sixth Dáil ghín ÓCaoláin through to informed the House, for the launched asort of humane But he wants an “orderly you or the Government for She lambasted Fianna Fáil Labour health spokesman motion of no confidence in Donnchadh ÓLaoghaire and, umpteenth time, that he would offensive on Varadkar’s wind-down” of the Govern- most of this”. and said party leader Micheál Alan Kelly said the Minister three years and their pile of gloriously, to Martin Kenny, be “turning the sod” on lots of administration. “This Govern- ment after Brexit is sorted. All rather pointless. And Martin had listed alitany of was “fundamentally adecent straws and broken-backed who started fulminating about wonderful projects in the near ment has loose control of Whenever that might be. doing nothing to improve Mr Harris’s failings but would andcompetentman butthe sit- camels grew, Louise O’Reilly Fianna Fáil scandals down future. healthcare,” he cried. “I actually don’t know any anybody’s health. “give the Government ablank uation is intolerable”.

Briefs Everything IKnow Healthservice Gardainquiry Limerick About Love Government may have to change Foul play not Book composition of new HSE board suspected Club by Dolly Alderton

The Government may have to appointed eight members of in death change the composition of the the new board. These included planned new board of the former Barnardos chief Gardaí investigating the HSE, even though it has executive Fergus Finlay, discovery of an elderly already appointed the mem- patient advocates Mark woman with injuries by the bers. Molloy and Dr Sarah roadside in aremote rural Fianna Fáilsaysthe Govern- McLoughlin, UCC law profes- part of Co Cork yesterday ment will have to revise its sor Prof Deirdre Madden and morning have ruled out foul SA plans after the Tim Hynes, group chief play. VE health committee voted to information officer of AIB. Officers have yet to €7. WHEN alter current proposals . The Government had last formally identify the YOU 00 BUY Health spokesman Stephen autumn appointed Ciarán woman found by Annaganni- THE IRISH Donnelly said that following Devane, chief executive of the hy Bridge near Rylane in ONLY TIME S an amendment supported by British Council, to chair the mid-Cork but believe she €4.99 the committee, the Govern- board. was 88, from the mid-Cork ment will now be mandated to Mr Donnelly said the area and was suffering from ensure the new board had amendment provides for one Alzheimer’s disease. members with clinical, patient advocate, two clinical The woman was discov- financial and patient advocacy experts and one financial CervicalCheck campaigner ered by apassing motorist expertise. Minister for Health expert to sit on the board. at about 6.40am and the Simon Harris in January MARTIN WALL Phelan to focus on her health alarm was subsequently raised. CervicalCheck campaign- for what made me so ill, so services attended to her at er Vicky Phelan has said they have put it down to a the scene. Paramedics Atrue-to-life, very funnyand sometimes heart-breaking memoir Dáildebate she is to pull back from viral infection.” treated the woman before from journalist DollyAlderton about growing up, growing olderand campaigning to focus on Ms Phelan added: “My taking her to Cork Universi- her health and her family. time in hospital has taught ty Hospital, but she died navigating all kinds of love alongthe way. Taoiseach disagrees with Keegan The Limerick mother of me some valuable lessons, shortly before noon. Gardaí two revealed on Twitter mainly that Ineed to pull have scheduled apostmor- remarks on homeless people that she was taking abreak back from campaigning so tem. ‘Deeply funny, sometimes shocking,and admirablyopen-hearted after having recently spent heavily and focus on my When it was found that and optimistic’ Daily Telegraph Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has Keegan. He said the two main aprolonged period in health and my two young the woman carried no disagreed with comments by causes of family homelessness hospital after she had been children.” identification, gardaí began the chief executive of were family breakdown or a “very ill”. In January 2018, doctors door-to-door inquiries. from 16th Februaryto1st March City Council that people may notice to quit being issued by a Ms Phelan (43) wrote: gave Ms Phelan between They found acar registered be reluctant to leave homeless landlord and neither of those “Apologies to all my six and 12 months to live. to her in anearby farmyard Offer available in Eason ROI stores only, while stocks last. services in Dublin because was achoice.“So if there are followers on Twitter for She declined the offer of and have contacted her they are now an “attractive” people who are making my absence over the past apalliative treatment family. Investigating option. themselves homeless to skip couple of weeks. Iwas very plan, and instead went to officers are also trying to Owen Keegan was criticised the queue or to avail of ill. Ispent almost aweek in work researching the trace her last-known for saying the huge recent services Iimagine they are hospital, my first as an latest treatments. movements.A Garda investment in services had led very few or far between. I inpatient since Igot She discovered through spokesman said they don’t to areluctance of some imagine they are exceptional cancer. her own research adrug believe at this stage that homeless people to move on. cases.” “It was scary but Iam called Pembrolizumab foul play was involved. “This Be Inspired Mr Keegan said Dublin is “a He was responding to okay again and aCTscan (Pembro) which she has been confirmed as a major draw” for people who People Before Profit TD has revealed that my believes has kept her alive sudden death and afile will are homeless because there is who cancer has not spread,” as well as shrinking her be prepared for the Coro- avery wide range of service suggested Mr Keegan should she said. tumours by 60 per cent. ner’s Court,” aGarda provision. Mr Varadkar told “show alittle bit of humility”. “There is no explanation DAVID RALEIGH statement said. the Dáil he disagreed with Mr MARIE O’HALLORAN BARRYROCHE