Harney: Time for everyone to get real

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney defended her department’s spending yesterday insisting it was a time for reform in the health sector and a time for everyone to “get real”.

Speaking at a launch in Dublin ahead of the Irish Medical Organisation’s conference, which kicked off yesterday afternoon, Ms Harney brushed aside concerns about unrest among health sector workers and plans for thousands to march this weekend over conditions in services.

“There have been protests in relation to health as long as I have been a politician,” she said.