Harney refuses to judge accounts

TÁNAISTE and Health Minister Mary Harney yesterday refused to make a judgment on contradicting accounts in the Travers report between former Health Minister Micheal Martin and his Department of Health general secretary Michael Kelly.

Although Ms Harney conceded the detailed report contained "a serious conflict of evidence" between the accounts of both men, she repeatedly refused to take sides when pressed by the Opposition during a heated Oireachtas Health Committee hearing.

"I'm not going to make a choice ... there is a serious conflict of interest and I'm not going to adjudicate on that debate," she said.