Minister for Health Mary Harney today re-iterated her desire to retain the health portfolio but said she hadn’t discussed her position in Cabinet with Taoiseach Brian Cowen since the decision by Progressive Democrat members to terminate the party.
Ms Harney said it will take a number of weeks to legally wind up the PDs, whereupon she will become an independent member of Dáil Éireann but she hoped to remain as Minister for Health to continue the radical reform of the health service agreed by the Government
“Clearly it’s a matter for the Taoiseach who forms his cabinet and I’m very grateful for the confidence he has expressed in me and I will continue as long as I am Minister for Health to relish the job of reforming the system but I can’t predict the future,” she said.
“I want to stay on, I’m not a quitter, I’m not somebody that gives up lightly, I enjoy the job, I want to do the job for as long as I have the energy to do it and clearly the support of the Taoiseach in doing it.“
She rejected suggestions that it might suit Fianna Fáil to have her retain the health portfolio to take the brunt of public ire at a time when reduced exchequer revenues are going to require further cutbacks in the health service.
“The policies I implement are the policies of the Government and I enjoy the support of the Government ... sometimes I hear people say nobody else wants the job, I don’t accept that ... but while I have the job I enjoy the challenge of changing it [the health system] even though it’s difficult.”
Ms Harney said she had not spoken to Mr Cowen about her position in Cabinet prior to the vote by the PDs to terminate the party as she believed it would be” improper and dishonourable ” to discuss it in advance of party members making a decision.
“I have not discussed the outcome of Saturday’s meeting with the Taoiseach. I meet the Taoiseach frequently and we discuss political issues from time to time and I’ve no doubt we will discuss this issue in time as well,” she said.
Ms Harney was speaking at the official opening of the VHI Swiftcare clinic in Mahon, Cork.