Hospice care spending should more than double, admits Harney

SPENDING on hospice care should be more than doubled, Health Minister Mary Harney conceded yesterday.

Ms Harney, who launched an Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) report that found major gaps in hospice care throughout the county, described as appalling the lack of privacy given to some terminally ill patients in hospitals.

IHF chief executive Eugene Murray said a world class hospice care service could be provided in Ireland for €144 million, half the cost of running a large acute hospital for one year.