Minister should resign ‘because she is responsible’

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney should resign because she bears ultimate responsibility for the appalling treatment meted out to more than 600 women in the midlands, the Labour Party said last night.

Opening the debate on the motion of no confidence in the minister, Labour’s health spokeswoman Jan O’Sullivan said if political accountability is to mean anything then Ms Harney must accept responsibility.

And in a forceful speech, Fine Gael health spokesman Dr James Reilly alleged Ms Harney only displayed raw emotion about the breast cancer scandal when her job was on the line.