SF queries Reilly meeting with Nama

MINISTER FOR Health James Reilly met the National Asset Management Agency (Nama) about a primary care centre in his constituency months before he included Balbriggan on the priority list, it was claimed in the Dáil.

Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald called on Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore to ask Dr Reilly to explain why he met Nama on April 20th last to discuss primary care centres in Balbriggan.

Sinn Féin finance spokesman Pearse Doherty added that it was illegal to lobby Nama.

Ms McDonald said Dr Reilly confirmed in reply to a parliamentary question that at a meeting with Nama on April 20th, he discussed the issue of a primary healthcare centre in Balbriggan “months in advance of his doctoring of the list of primary care centres”.

Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett warned Ms McDonald she should be “very careful using that sort of language – doctoring”, but she replied she stood by what she said.

Ms McDonald asked if the Tánaiste knew about Dr Reilly’s meeting with Nama, “did it not set alarm bells ringing?” and she asked if he would raise it with him.

Mr Gilmore said he did not want to monitor whom Ministers met. “I can’t track, nor do I want to track, the diaries of every Minister in this Government, and who they met, and when they met him and so on. Nor indeed could I possibly do so.”

But Mr Doherty intervened and said, “it’s illegal to lobby Nama”, adding that, “your junior minister resigned over this”.