LAST UPDATE | 15 Oct

THE DÁIL HAS passed a confidence motion in Tánaiste Simon Harris. 

He retains the confidence of the Dáil with 94 votes in favour, 65 against and one abstention. 

The government brought forward the motion of confidence in the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs this afternoon, pre-empting a no-confidence motion from Aontú set for next week. 

Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín had said his party was bringing a no-confidence motion against Harris due to a “failed promise” on child spinal surgeries and overall “dysfunction” in Children’s Health Ireland (CHI).

Harris failed to keep promises he made regarding waiting times for children’s spinal surgeries while he was Minister for Health between 2017 and 2020.

The Aontú motion was also announced in the context of a series of scandals at CHI, including the implanting of non-surgical springs into child patients, unnecessary hip surgeries, the security of health records, and issues around in-sourcing.

It also comes after the death of nine-year-old Harvey Morrison Sherratt, who died after waiting years for spinal surgery, during which time the curve in his spine went from 75 degrees to 130 degrees.

Tóibín said that the government was being “incredibly cynical” in proposing the motion today, a sentiment echoed by Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, the Social Democrats and People Before Profit.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald criticised the “unprecedented move by government” to call a confidence motion without the formal receipt of a no-confidence motion.

She told the Dáil:“The pace with which government moved to protect Simon Harris today stands in very marked contrast to the constant delay that is the hallmark of his failure of some of the most vulnerable in our society.”

She added:

“You tabled this motion today simply because you didn’t want a vote of no confidence in the Fine Gael leader, landing in the same week as the presidential election.”

Speaking earlier on RTÉ Radio 1, Peader Tóibín accused the government of “putting their own electoral interests ahead of this important debate.”

During his contribution at the outset of today’s debate, Harris said he has “always taken accountability for his actions”.

“I’ve acknowledged time and again that we’re not where we need to be in addressing ongoing deficits in the care of children in spinal services, despite the sincere efforts of successive ministers, governments and taoisigh.

“I’m very conscious of the tragic loss of Harvey Morrison Sherratt, and I’ve expressed directly my deep sorrow to his parents, Gillian and Stephen,” Harris said. 

He concluded his remarks by saying the government is committed to fulfilling the mandate given to it and that it is committed to working in good faith and doing more. 

“We’re not satisfied that there are still many areas where we have sufficient and significant deficiencies and major improvements to make. We must be restless to do more,” he said. 

Today was not the first time that Harris has faced a motion of no confidence in relation to his time as health minister.

The government has committed to an inquiry into the controversies involving CHI, with recommendations of what sort of inquiry might be rolled out due to be discussed with parents next week.

The parents of children impacted have called for a public statutory inquiry.

With reporting from Christina Finn and David Mac Redmond