THE LABOUR PARTY has launched a broadside against the Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill over her handling of an apparent row with the Mater Hospital board.

It follows reports in today’s papers that the chair of the hospital’s board resigned after a bust-up with the Fine Gael minister.

The row reportedly centred around productivity at the Dublin hospital, with the minister having set out that seven-day rosters were to be one of her key focuses since taking up the position in the government.

The Mater is classed as a Level 4 teaching hospital, meaning it provides a range of frontline and specialist services, including being a National Centre for several services and one of Ireland’s major trauma centres.

Labour Health spokesperson Marie Sherlock said that the departure of David Begg – who previously headed up the Irish Congress of Trade Unions – as chair of the board of the Mater Hospital marks a big loss to the Mater and to the wider health system.

Sherlock also criticised the Minister of Health’s “showdown” approach to getting things done as “all bluster” and a failure to get to grips with the critical issues in the voluntary hospital.

According to today’s Irish Independent, the minister and Begg had a fiery exchange about the hospital’s performance on weekend and bank holiday rostering among Mater consultants during her visit in early July.

The paper reports that upon Carroll MacNeill reminding Begg that she was the minister, the chairman responded: “You might be the Minister for Health, but you’re not God.”

In her statement today, Sherlock defended Begg as having had to navigate an “extremely serious financial” situation, while also dealing with the HSE’s recruitment embargo.

“In his role as Chair of the Mater Hospital over the past six years, David Begg has overseen incredible work in expanding the hospital infrastructure,” Sherlock said, adding that a new wing of the hospital was built during the pandemic within budget and on time.

Sherlock added that Begg has also had to navigate an “extremely serious financial” situation, while also dealing with the HSE’s recruitment embargo.

“David Begg and the very real issues in the Mater deserve better than the Minister’s “showdown” approach to getting things down,” Sherlock said.

The Dublin Central TD said that there remains a serious underlying financial deficit of the hospital that cannot be ignored.

A spokesperson for the Mater Hospital declined to comment when contacted.

A spokesperson for the minister has been contacted.