Harney says lessons must be learned from Róisín Ruddle death

The Tánaiste and Minister for Health has told the Dáil that lessons must be learned from the death of Limerick toddler Róisín Ruddle in July 2003.

The two-year-old died a day after her planned heart operation was cancelled at Crumlin children's hospital in Dublin due to a shortage of intensive care nurses.

A report into the matter has criticised management at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children for failing to take measures to alleviate the shortage.

Questioned about the report this morning, Mary Harney said: "We have to learn lessons from what happened in this particular case.

"The hospital have already taken corrective action in relation to many of the recommendations in the report. In particular, somebody has been appointed to take charge of recruitment and retention of nurses."