Harney accused of stalling on nursing-home laws

The Minister for Health has been accused of taking too long to introduce new laws governing nursing homes.

It has been over a year since a north Dublin nursing home was exposed for abusing and neglected patients, but facilities are still not subject to independent inspections.

Mary Harney is now coming under fire for dragging her heels on new legislation promised after the controversy.

Tadhg Daly of the INHO says the minister has been dragging her heels since last year's Lea's Cross controversy.

“It is incumbent on the Minister for Health, Mary Harney, to give leadership on this issue and to provide a clear timeframe, which we can all understand and we can all work towards,” he said.