‘National emergency’ of 2006 haunts Harney

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney must surely rue the day in 2006 when she declared it was a “a national emergency” that 495 people were waiting on trolleys to be treated.

Reaching a record high of 569 yesterday, from 511 the day before, the minister must be busy drawing up a strategy to deal with the crisis.

It’s not the first time the so-called emergency limit has been breached, however, and there have been many wake-up calls for the minister since 2006.