A&E plan won’t bear fruit in 2005

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney admitted yesterday that a key part of her 10-point plan to solve the Accident and Emergency crisis - the provision of three acute medical units in major hospitals - will not be delivered this year.

The head of the Health Service Executive (HSE), Pat Mc Loughlin, told a Dáil health committee on Thursday that none of the units would be built this year.

But Ms Harney said they would be provided, but not this year. Cost was a factor, she added.