NI Conservatives’ spokesman, Mark Brotherston, wished the new health minister and social development minister “all the best in their new posts”, but remarked that Peter Robinson’s reshuffle of DUP ministers could resemble “rearranging deck-chairs on the Titanic”. Edwin Poots is replaced by Jim Wells at the Department of Health and the new DSD minister is Mervyn Storey, who replaces Nelson McCausland.
“There’s little doubt that there was an urgent need to get rid of both Edwin Poots and Nelson McCausland”, Mark commented. “Both ministers have presided over chaos in their departments and it’s difficult not to conclude that their appalling performances have influenced Peter Robinson’s thinking. We wish their replacements all the very best in their new jobs, but it’s important to point out that if they don’t take a dramatically different approach, then they will continue to fail the people of Northern Ireland.”
“The new health minister must get to grips with inefficiency in the NHS and introduce a mixed economy of care, ensuring that the priority is empowering medical staff to deliver front-line services for the public. The social development minister will have to prioritise delivering welfare reform and the correct mix of social housing, without any of the controversies caused by his predecessor. We sincerely hope that Jim Wells and Mervyn Storey can make a running start in their new jobs. Unfortunately there is a suspicion that these changes have more to do with electioneering and the internal politics of the DUP, than delivering for the people of Northern Ireland.”