Harney believes A&E crisis has turned a corner

The Tánaiste says she believes the crisis in the country's Accident and Emergency units has turned the corner.

Mary Harney is due to meet the taskforce set up to tackle the problem of overcrowding in A&E units this evening.

She says there's been an almost 50% improvement in the situation in the past year, and that the bulk of patients are now being seen by medical staff within six hours.

Speaking at Saint Vincent's Hospital in Dublin, the Minister for Health says she will stay focused on the issue until it's resolved:

“I did say some months ago that the HSE should treat it as an emergency and they are.

“They've put a wonderful group of people together who've now visited all of the hospitals and I'm delighted to say we've a 49% improvement this June as opposed to last June and although we haven't gotten there yet, we're going in the right direction.”

Mary Harney also said today she has been assured by the HSE that services are available to help the 27-year-old drug addict who's been sent back to jail in spite of her pleas for treatment.

In court yesterday, Rachel Keogh was told it was not possible to find a place for her in a drug treatment centre, and that she'd have to return to Mountjoy prison.

Today, Mary Harney said her department would do anything it could to help the woman, and she advised her to contact the HSE directly: “The HSE assured me that therapeutic services are available to her and I suggest that contact be made between the HSE and the patient.

“Certainly anything my office to bring that about will be forthcoming.”