A picture of health

Health Minister Mary Harney is quizzed by Catherine Shanahan on the failings in the health service and how she sees its future role

Q: At the time the HSE was established in 2005, you said you were confident it would lead to improved, integrated and high-quality patient care, while providing an improved working environment for people working to provide healthcare. Five years on, have you come any closer to achieving those goals?

A: Well I think the health service has improved enormously in the five years, if you just look at the data, whether it’s cancer survival rates or life expectancy or infant mortality, or the reduction by 25% of MRSA, I think they’re all measurements of the health system.