Going, going ..Don

 Taoiseach refuses to back health minister to remain

- FERGHAL BLANEY

TAOISEACH Micheal Martin yesterday refused to back Stephen Donnelly to remain on as Health Minister in the Christmas Cabinet reshuffle. 

Speaking at the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis in the RDS, he endorsed Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien staying on in his brief.

He listed the Government’s achievements in housing as reasons for Mr O’Brien to remain in the challenging role.

The Taoiseach also provided a list of advances he believes the Coalition has made in health but would not commit to reinstating Mr Donnelly.

Speaking about the reshuffle he has to decide on, Mr Martin said: “I really believe Mr O’Brien has brought a breadth in terms of the number of programmes we’ve brought to housing, in terms of the numbers of houses being built.