THE Minister for Health, Mr Cowen has strongly defended his decision to rescind 24 appointments to health boards made by his predecessor. Mr Michael Noonan Mr Cowen said last night that an attempt was being made to suggest he had made similar appointments in the last days of the Fianna Fail/Labour administration.
"You cannot make an appointment if no vacancy exists" he said. The appointments made by Mr Noonan did not fall due until July 1st. He also said "two of the most vociferous individuals" objecting to his decision were disbarred under law from taking up the appointments.
Two previous ministers of state, Mr Bernard Allen and Mr Toddy O'Sullivan, should not - because of their rank when in government - have been appointed, Mr Cowen said.
The Department of Health yesterday declined to give the list of appointees concerned on the grounds that it was "inappropriate to do so since the appointments were not effective". Their replacements will be announced shortly.
Mr Cowen wrote to Mr Noonan five days after the general election to say he should not go ahead with the appointments since the vacancies would not fall due until July 1st. The former minister for transport, energy and communications, Mr Alan Dukes, yesterday accused Mr Cowen of reverting to his real role of gurrier-in-chief of Fianna Fail", following, his actions in revoking the appointments.
"Minister Cowen has summarily dismissed perfectly able people from the health boards and has explained his decision in a way calculated to deceive the public into believing that there is some spurious legal propriety attaching to it," he added.
Those removed from their posts are as follows:
Southern Health Board: the former minister of state, Mr Bernard Allen TD; the former Labour TD, Mr Toddy O'Sullivan, who lost his seat in the last election; and the former Democratic Left TD, Ms Kathleen Lynch.
Mid-Western Health Board: former Fine Gael Senator, Ms Mary Jackman; Fine Gael councillor on Limerick Corporation, Mr Kevin Kiely and Mr Ger Fahy.
Western Health Board: Mr Colm Keaveney, the former Fine Gael TD, Mr John Connor, who lost his seat at the last election, and Mr Ernie Caffrey.
North-Western Health Board: Fine Gael councillor, Mr Tommy Lavin; the former Labour TD for Sligo, Mr Declan Bree, who also lost his seat in the last election; Mr Frank O'Kelly, of Fine Gael, and Mr John Delamere.
Midlands Health Board: former Labour TD, Mr Pat Gallagher, who failed to be re-elected to the Dail for Laois-Offaly; the Fine Gael councillor, Mr Willy Aird; and Mr Michael Dollard, Labour.
South-Eastern Health Board: Fine Gael councillor, Mr Andy Cotteral, Mr Paddy Gallagher of Democratic Left and Mr Billy Healy of Labour.
Eastern Health Board: the former Labour minister of state and TD, Ms Joan Burton; Fine Gael councillor, Mr Reggie Lawlor; and Mr Don Tipping of Democratic Left.