Health Minister Survives No Confidence Motion

The Minister for Health, Wicklow T.D. Simon Harris survived a motion of no confidence in the Dáil last night to keep his job as Health Minister. 

The Sinn Féin motion calling for him to be removed from office over his handling of the Health Service and in particular the overruns at the new National Children's Hospital, was defeated by 58 votes to 53.

There were 37 abstentions from three Independent and 34  Fianna Fáil TDs. Here in Wicklow only one T.D. John Brady, voted no confidence in Simon Harris.

Party colleague Andrew Doyle supported the Health Minister, while Fianna Fail’s two T.D.s Pat Casey and the party’s spokesperson on Health, Stephen Donnelly, who has been extremely critical of Simon Harris, were among those who abstained.