Anger over health cuts prompts Harney to insist: I’m not a liar

FEARS sick children’s lives are being put at risk due to spending cuts provoked angry Dáil scenes yesterday and prompted Mary Harney to insist: “I’m not a liar.”

Concerns over funding at Dublin’s Crumlin Hospital were raised by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny who said mismanagement was forcing it to close for large parts of the year and putting children’s lives in the balance.

This followed accusations from leading consultant and outspoken critic of Government health policy Prof John Crown that Ms Harney was presiding over “grotesque” cuts at the respected Crumlin children’s hospital and ridiculed her claim the ward closures were the result of “over-staffing”.

Mr Kenny said the situation in Crumlin was appalling and symptomatic of what he called the Government failure to get a grip on healthcare and the HSE’s “waste” of resources given to it.

“A theatre will be closed from July to December, two theatres and 20 beds will be closed for the summer months of July and August and there will be a serious cutback of outpatient appointments by 8,500.

“We have evidence of children going to other hospitals out of the jurisdiction where appointments can be arranged immediately. It is a daft monetary policy on hospitals and the HSE that the first thing that happens is that wards close and operations are cancelled while critically ill children’s lives are put at risk...,” he told TDs.

The health minister denounced accusations she had lied over the reasons for bed closures and cancelled operations at the hospital.

“Not one fact has been given to back up this very serious accusation. Nor can one be given, for the simple reason: I am not a liar.

“We have three hospitals in this country of just over 4 million people providing complex care to very sick children. Taxpayers are providing €250m to fund services at these hospitals. More and better services can be delivered for children in the State if we move from three separate hospitals to one,” she said in response to criticism.

Labour’s Eamon Gilmore used Leader’s Questions to attack Government moves to withdraw special needs teachers from schools. He said this cut was hitting under-privileged areas hardest and urged a rethink.