A&E 'emergency' admission sparks uproar

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern struggled to defend the Government's record on the health services yesterday following Tánaiste Mary Harney's admission that the A&E crisis constituted a national emergency.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said that in some of the world's poorest countries, such as Peru, people had to bring their own drugs to hospital. Of the Irish situation, he added: "In a country that is knee-deep in financial wealth, it appears that people here need to bring a bed or chair to a hospital."

The Tánaiste's "national emergency" statement on Tuesday represented "a complete reversal of the Taoiseach's claim that there is no crisis in the health service", Mr Kenny said.

He questioned the motive for this reversal, saying: "The Tánaiste's statement was not driven by political sympathy for patients who are lying on trolleys today and every day, but by political desperation.

"The Government knows that the people are waiting for the members of its parties when they next seek their support. It has failed to use this country's unprecedented wealth and resources to provide proper services for the people. As they say in the medical profession, the Government is 'TATT' - tired all the time."

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said the situation in A&E departments was worse now than when the Government came to power.

The Tánaiste was "beginning to take on the bewildered bystander persona so effected by the Taoiseach".

"She was on television (on Tuesday night) to say that this was something up with which we cannot put, as if she had not the responsibility for it. Who has been in Government all those years? We have now moved from a minister for health who does not read his brief to one who cannot handle her brief."

Fianna Fáil backbenchers were "sniggering at the fact that the two PD ministers are up to their arms in trouble everywhere they look", Mr Rabbitte added.

"The backbenchers are beginning to enjoy it. Meanwhile, unfortunate patients, including the aged, are kept in the most inhumane undignified circumstances in hospital corridors."

Taoiseach Bertie Aherne said there had been huge investment in the health services, which had seen an additional 35,000 staff recruited and new facilities opened. The number of beds in the system had increased by 1,000 in the last three years, he added.

Increased admissions in recent months, caused by influenza and the winter vomiting bug, had not helped the situation, Mr Ahern said. In addition, the population was an ageing one, requiring more services. Three-thousand home care packages were being provided this year to free up more beds.

But resources were not the major issue, the Taoiseach indicated. Instead, key services had to be provided at evenings and on weekends to alleviate pressure on facilities, but the Government was running into obstacles from nurses, doctors and consultants.

Harney on A&E

Mary Harney: "I will not be found wanting." - Tánaiste's turnabout on accident and emergency crisis.

October 1, 2004: "The fact that some people have to be on a trolley for 12, 13, 14 hours or have to wait months on end for essential elective treatment is not acceptable." - Shortly after her appointment as Minister for Health.

November 18, 2004: "Our 10 accident and emergency actions will help patients and their families well beyond the A&E departments." - Speaking after the launch of her 10-point plan to combat the A&E problem.

April 9, 2005: "We ended the dole queues. We're going to end the trolley queues as well. I will not be found wanting." - Giving her party leader's address at the Progressive Democrats' annual conference.

September 26, 2005: "I think we have made good progress on the plan." - Speaking about the 10-point plan almost a year after its launch.

March 8, 2006: "We have given substantial resources to the HSE to put in place systems to deal with the difficulties in A&E and I have no doubt that the strategy being put in place on a hospital-by-hospital basis will be successful." - Rejecting criticism of her record.

March 28, 2006: "We have got to use whatever capacity that exists in the State and deal with this as a national emergency." - Conceding that there is a crisis in A&E units.