Anger over health cuts prompts Harney to insist: I’m not a liar

FEARS sick children’s lives are being put at risk due to spending cuts provoked angry Dáil scenes yesterday and prompted Mary Harney to insist: “I’m not a liar.”

Concerns over funding at Dublin’s Crumlin Hospital were raised by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny who said mismanagement was forcing it to close for large parts of the year and putting children’s lives in the balance.

This followed accusations from leading consultant and outspoken critic of Government health policy Prof John Crown that Ms Harney was presiding over “grotesque” cuts at the respected Crumlin children’s hospital and ridiculed her claim the ward closures were the result of “over-staffing”.