Harney: Cuts in hospital budgets 'unavoidable'

Health Minister Mary Harney has defended the cuts being made in hospital budgets, saying no country in the world has unlimited resources for healthcare.

Ms Harney was speaking during a Dáil debate yesterday evening on a Fine Gael motion condemning cutbacks being imposed by Crumlin Children's Hospital in Dublin.

The hospital has already closed a 25-bed ward and an operating theatre as part of a plan to achieve €6.5m in savings.

Fine Gael says the cuts are causing sick children to suffer unnecessarily, but Ms Harney said the situation was unavoidable due to the state of the economy.

The debate is due to continue later today.