Councillor faces charge after Harney paint attack

A REPUBLICAN councillor faces public order charges, but may escape assault charges, after she threw paint at Health Minister Mary Harney.

Louise Minihan, a member of Éirígí, a militant political party, threw diluted red paint over the minister, covering parts of her neck, chest and hands.

The 29-year-old Dublin City Council representative attacked Ms Harney as the minister was turning the sod on a new mental health unit at Cherry Orchard Hospital in Ballyfermot, west Dublin.