John Halligan says will not resign despite anger at ‘cath lab’ review

Minister of State John Halligan has insisted he will not be resigning from his position over a dispute about health facilities in the southeast.

Mr Halligan told The Irish Times he had no intention of standing aside. "I am going to continue my ministerial duties and I will continue to do my job with the support of the Independent Alliance," he said on Monday night.

The Waterford TD has faced a barrage of criticism from his Fine Gael colleagues after an interview published in the Sunday Independent at the weekend, in which he threatened to "bring all hell down" on the Government if it failed to deliver the catheterisation lab.

He has since claimed the comments used in the report were taken out of context. He has contacted Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and a number of other Fine Gael figures to say he was misquoted.

Mr Halligan has been in dispute with Fine Gael over the issue of a second catheterisation lab at University Hospital Waterford, despite an independent clinical review recommending against such a move. He had believed that lab approval after the review would be a formality.

A number of Fine Gael Ministers have suggested Taoiseach Enda Kenny should consider Mr Halligan’s role in the minority Government. In Co Kildare yesterday at Fine Gael’s annual away day, Mr Kenny said Mr Halligan’s position was a matter for him. “If it transpires that somebody decides to retire or resign from Government, I will of course make a replacement to that position. I expect John Halligan to do his job.”

It is also understood Mr Halligan met consultants at University Hospital Waterford on Monday to discuss their concerns over the cath lab review.

Mr Halligan said on Monday night that he had received strong support from beyond his constituency. He insisted Fine Gael had not upheld its side of an arrangement reached between them. He would not allow himself to be humiliated and he could not turn his back on the people who voted for him.

The Taoiseach added that the Government would accept the recommendations of the report.“If the report had said ‘Yes, a second cath lab is warranted’, well then that is a different matter. It didn’t say that and within the findings of the report, we have honoured [the recommendations],” he said.