A Fianna Fáil TD has dubbed critics of Health Minister Stephen Donnelly “begrudgers,” adding that the Minister has done “exemplary” work during the pandemic.
The comments came after members of the Rural Independent Group harshly criticised Donnelly and his handling of Covid.
Deputy Michael Healy-Rae said Donnelly had “failed completely” in his duties, adding that if such failures had taken place in a private hospital he would be “sacked with immediate effect.”
“After one of the longest lockdowns anywhere in the world, compulsory mask-wearing for almost 22 months and the highest vaccination rates anywhere, why are Covid numbers so high right now?” Healy-Rae said.
“So far, neither the Government nor the NPHET experts have answered this question in a truthful and sincere manner. The Government was given time and space, through lockdowns and restrictions on people’s freedoms, to ramp up capacity in our healthcare system but it failed to do so.
“That is shameful and bordering on criminal, especially in light of the billions of euro of extra resources provided to the Government over the past 18 months or so.”
He added: “That money is not falling out of the sky. It is our taxpayers’ money. The Minister for Health and the CEO of the HSE have failed completely in their duties.
“Under the HSE system, the bureaucrats and the middle managers do not care if money can be spent better…We are throwing money at the health service but we are not getting proper management and, to be honest, it is the Minister’s fault.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Michael Collins called on Donnelly to be more clear with businesses about potential incoming restrictions, adding that it was “the least the Minister could do.”
Moreover, Deputy Richard O’Donoghue asked Donnelly and the Minister for Education “to talk about the mental health of leaving certificate students who are afraid because they have missed so much time in school and their exams are coming up shortly.”
At this point Fianna Fáil TD John Lahart jumped in to defend Donnelly, who he said was doing “exemplary work.”
“[Donnelly has] the support and confidence of this side of the House. We live in extraordinary times and have extraordinary stories to tell. [He] should never mind the begrudgers.”
Lahart said that future historians would see that while the government did not get everything right, they cared for the people “to the best of their ability.”
“They kept the country safe and continue to keep it safe,” he said, adding that health officials and politicians “get so little credit for being responsible for steering the country through these very difficult and challenging times.”