It was Joe Behan's shock announcement shortly before 5pm that transformed the situation into a full-blown crisis, writes Harry McGee
WICKLOW TD Joe Behan made his decision to resign from Fianna Fáil when he heard Minster for Transport Noel Dempsey's combative interview about the medical cards controversy on RTÉ's Morning Irelandyesterday.
By his reckoning, he later told reporters, Mr Dempsey was the third Minister to say the principle of universality (of medical card provision and other payments) was not sacrosanct.
He also said he could not "in conscience" vote for either the withdrawal of an automatic entitlement to medical cards for those over 70 or the decision to increase class sizes.
"On that basis I had no alternative but to resign."
As the political fall-out over the Budget-day decision on medical cards for the over 70s continued to escalate, it was Mr Behan's shock announcement shortly before 5pm that transformed the situation into a full-blown crisis for the Government.
Earlier in the day, Ministers had tried to strongly hold the Government line that it would not reverse the decision, but would be willing to show latitude and would also make full information available.
At 11am Tánaiste Mary Coughlan met five backbench TDs to hear them convey the concerns of their constituents.
Three of them were from Cork - Michael McGrath, Michael Moynihan and Christy O'Sullivan - and the other two were Meath East TD Thomas Byrne and Dublin North TD Michael Kennedy.
In the early afternoon, Ms Coughlan gave a "doorstep" interview to reporters. She reiterated the Government's defence of the decision, saying that the "principle of universality is something that we cannot sustain at the minute. We have scarce resources. We have to target them to the people most at need."
She suggested a possible new approach by the Government to the problem by saying that it might ask GPs to play their part.
"If, for example, the doctors come to the Government and to the Minister for Health and say they will reduce the amount of money they are to have for the provision of the service, then let us see the cards on the table."
Despite the warnings against public revolt, the criticism from the party's backbench TDs continued apace yesterday. Normally solidly reliable TDs like Johnny Brady from Meath West were openly expressing their unease with the legislation, while others like Noel O'Flynn, Tom Kitt, Mattie McGrath and Dr Jim McDaid were hinting at rebellion, with Mr O'Flynn declaring he would vote against the decision.
Around lunchtime, two of the independent TDs who support the Government, Finian McGrath and Michael Lowry, met Minister for Health Mary Harney for a meeting that lasted 1½ hours. Afterwards Mr Lowry said of the medical card proposals: "We have told the Minister that they are socially unfair, that they are morally wrong and it is political madness."
But he said neither TD had threatened to withdraw their vote and indicated they would support the Government. Mr McGrath added: "We will look at the legislation as it comes up over the next few weeks. I did say that it's a very serious issue . . . in terms of support for the Government."
Meanwhile, Mr Behan was having lunch with colleagues in the Dáil restaurant but mentioned nothing about his impending resignation.
He had written a long resignation letter yesterday morning, which he sent to Government Buildings at 2pm.
The Taoiseach was tied up in separate meetings with Sinn Féin and the DUP but sent a message saying he would meet Mr Behan. The Wicklow TD said he was not going to change his mind. A few colleagues contacted him in the afternoon to see if he would.
Dr McDaid said the Government had approached medical cards in the wrong manner by focusing on pensioners and not on doctors. "I think that GPs should do their patriotic duty and over the period of the next three years think about reducing the amount they get paid per patient from €640 to the average cost of a medical card."
Mr O'Flynn called on the decision to be overturned or else, he said, he would vote against it. Speaking on Cork 96FM he said he wanted to apologise to pensioners.
Former chief whip Mr Kitt and Mr McGrath also called for the decision to be overturned, as did Mr O'Keeffe who called for a deferral of the new consultants contract (worth €170 million) instead.
News filtered out about Mr Behan's resignation at 5pm. He was particularly critical of Ms Coughlan in interviews, saying that her "edict" to TDs the previous day had been insulting.
"I think that people like Éamon de Valera, Seán Lemass and others will be turning in their graves with the decisions that have emanated from this Government in this particular week," he said.
A few minutes later, the Green Party held an impromptu press conference. Party chairman Mary White said they had held two parliamentary party meetings but while its TDs and Senators were concerned, it was not a resigning issue.
"We would like our coalition partners to have a look at the scheme and come back with a scheme that is thought out in a better way . . . We are strong, responsible members of Government . . .This is not a pulling out of Government issue."