Harney to shake up Medical Council

TÁNAISTE Mary Harney is seeking to alter the balance of power on the Medical Council to ensure that the majority of members on the governing board are not practicing doctors or consultants.

During a Dáil debate on the Lourdes Hospital Inquiry yesterday, she said it was essential the council was seen as “the competent authority for dealing with serious allegations of professional misconduct”.

“The purpose of the Medical Council is not only to provide a registration service for medical practitioners,” she said.