McManus says Minister putting lives at risk

The Labour party says the Minister for Health Micheal Martin is putting people at risk by failing to come up with a strategy to deal with a SARS outbreak here.

The party's health spokeswoman Liz McManus said: "Closing your eyes and hoping we will escape is a very irresponsible approach.

"It's no longer acceptable for him to remain silent at a time when there is a clear acceleration in the rate of SARS internationally and when we are facing issues like the return of Chinese students after the Easter break.

"We have to take pro-active steps when it comes to dealing with the Special Olympics. We have to ensure there is a strategy in place to combat this threat."