Harney’s three-year vow on Health

TÁNAISTE Mary Harney yesterday vowed that she would reshape the country’s beleaguered health system in the next three years by opening it up to increased private sector involvement.

In her first major interview as Health Minister, the Tánaiste set out her stall, prioritising accident and emergency, cancer treatment and care of elderly people as her priorities in the portfolio.

She went on to argue that she “didn’t give a damn” whether or not the Irish healthcare system was above or below average in Europe but what mattered was “what we are getting for the money that we’re putting in and I think we could do a lot better”.