Under-fire Ahern defends health policies

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern was subjected to a barrage of angry and sustained criticism in the Dáil yesterday over the 'trolley' crisis in hospital accident and emergency units.

As protests over the health services took place outside Leinster House, the Taoiseach strongly defended his Government's health policies, amid withering attacks from opposition leaders over the shortage of beds in Irish hospitals.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny referred to the huge pressures placed on the Mater and Beaumont Hospitals by a new outbreak of the winter vomiting bug.