Harney denies avoiding debate on plan

HEALTH MINISTER Mary Harney has been criticised for allowing next year’s service plan for the Health Service Executive to slip through the Oireachtas without debate.

The plan suggests cuts to the number of overnight A&E wards in Cork and Dublin.

Yesterday, the minister said she presented the plan to the Oireachtas library on December 10 and it has been available to elected representatives ever since.