Harney won't cut holidays for EU meeting

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney will not break off her 18-day holiday in South Africa to attend an emergency European Union meeting on the Asian crisis.

A junior minister with three months experience of government will instead attend the conference, organised to co-ordinate the EU response to the devastating aftermath of the tsunami.

One opposition politician said it wasn't fair on Minister of State Sean Power, who had no previous experience of health issues before joining the department last September.

"He has no experience at all and we are talking about huge issues here, with 5 million people affected," said Dr Liam Twomey, Fine Gael's spokesman on health.

Ministers for foreign affairs, development and health from across Europe are planning to gather in Brussels for the meeting.

They will concentrate on the health risks facing the countries affected, including epidemic control, food and water safety. The World Health Organisation will report to the ministers.

The Tánaiste flew out on the sunshine holiday to the southern coast of the Western Cape just before the new year. She is due back next week, an aide said.

"This is personally time out and it's not really relevant," a spokesman said. He said eight EU health ministers will attend today's meeting, that Ms Harney was in ongoing contact with the department and had specifically asked that one of her juniors be present.

Local media in South Africa reported Ms Harney was on a private holiday with her husband, Brian Geoghegan, whose sister lives in the country.

Ms Harney, who took over the health portfolio in September, missed the first cabinet meeting of 2005 and has made no public comments since December 23, when she welcomed President McAleese's referral to the Supreme Court of a controversial bill dealing with nursing home charges.