Harney must pay for health care debacle

IF a surgeon or nurse took a deliberate decision knowing it would result in serious injury and death, they would lose their job, pension rights and face criminal prosecution and possibly jail for their actions.

As Minister for Health, Mary Harney has been the architect of the dismantling of our public health system in a drive towards the privatisation of it, at the same time as she and her colleagues were pumping tens of billions of euro into bailing out the banks.

She has slashed hospital budgets and the numbers of nurses, junior doctors and other front line staff. She has closed up to 1,600 beds, shut down wards and accident and emergency departments, reduced and removed essential services, including vital diagnosis procedures and cancer care facilities.