The Health Minister is being accused of being all talk and no action when it comes to addressing the overcrowding crisis in the Midwest.
Councillors in this county have voted through a motion of no confidence in Simon Harris, just days after record levels of trolley numbers were experienced in University Hospital Limerick.
The motion was opposed by all of the elected Fine Gael representatives.
Last evening’s motion of no confidence, submitted by Councillor James Breen, was deferred from the previous two meetings but the timing of last night’s debate couldn’t have been worse for Minister Simon Harris.
It came days after a record 81 people were registered on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick, and after last Friday’s Clare FM interview in which the Taoiseach ruled out re-opening the A&E Unit in Ennis, comments which angered a number of local representatives.
The motion was opposed by all eight elected Fine Gael representatives, while Cathaoirleach Michael Begley abstained, but the remaining 14 councillors presented voted no confidence in the Health Minister, a rare move for the Council here.
One of those who backed it is the Mayor of Ennis, Fianna Fáil’s Clare Colleran Molloy, who thinks her party should table a similar motion against Simon Harris in the Dáil.
Five Fine Gael Councillors – Johnny Flynn, Paul Murphy, Mary Howard, John Crowe and Joe Cooney – called for the motion of no confidence in the Minister to be changed into one focused on hospital management, a move criticised by some other members.
This was ruled out of order, but Ennis representative Johnny Flynn says the Minister shouldn’t be the focus of all criticism.
There’s been no comment yet from Minister Harris, or his office, in respect of last evening’s vote.
