The Minister of State at the Department of Health Róisín Shortall has resigned.
In a statement this evening, Ms Shortall said she could longer fulfill the role because of a "lack of support for the reforms in the programme for government and the values that underpin it."
"It is with regret that I have today tendered my resignation as Minister of State at the Department of Health to An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny. I have also informed the Tánaiste, Eamon Gilmore, that I am resigning the parliamentary Labour Party whip, " she said.
"The public have a right to expect that decisions on health infrastructure and staffing will be made in the public interest based on health need and not driven by other concerns."
Ms Shortall said her decision had come after repeated and lengthy efforts to reach agreement on the implementation of the programme for government.
Her resignation follows days of controversy during which she demanded an explanation from Minister for Health James Reilly for his controversial decision to add two towns in his constituency to a priority list for the location of new primary care centres.
Dr Reilly and Ms Shortall met for more than half an hour in Leinster House yesterday evening. They had been expected to meet again in the coming days.
Source: Aoife Carr, Irish Times, 26/09/2012
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