Harney asks to continue in health role

Minister for Health Mary Harney today appealed to be given a mandate to continue her work in the health porfolio after the May 24th general election.

"Health is an issue and it should be an issue in the election," Ms Harney said at a press conference in Dublin to outline her role in the health portfolio.

"The health system affects every single person in our country, whether they are young or old. From the cradle to the grave we need good health services.

"We are very fortunate in recent years we have able to make major investment in the Irish health services - investment that has been unprecedented over the last six years in any other country in the developed world in the scale of investment we have been able to make.

"But clearly investment without change is not going to work for patients. I want to concentrate on the outcomes from the health service rather than the inputs. It's not about the number of beds, it's not just about the amount of money. It is about the results and the outcomes for patients."

"I look forward to this election. I have to say I am encouraged by the response that I am receiving and I really enjoy the job, I love the challenge. I think it's important that we continue with our reform programme. Otherwise we will not achieve in health the potential that I believe we have to achieve in Ireland."

Ms Harney again presented 12 'guarantees' to patients, as published in the party's manifesto last Sunday.

They include a commitment that no one will wait for more than six hours for admission at A&E and that patients seeking elective hospital treatment will be given the offer of an appointment within two months.

Ms Harney also pledged that patients in hospital will be discharged as soon as they are medically ready, seven days a week, and that they will not be left in acute hospital beds simply because there is no one to discharge them.

She also promised to recruit 1,500 extra hospital consultants, a move that is the subject of controversy after she recently advertised 68 new consultants' posts without having reached agreement with their representative bodies over the terms of the new contracts.

The Minister's 12 guarantees also include "quality cancer care for people in every region" and "assured frequency of cancer screening calls for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer".

Ms Harney also promises "assessment for services and a personal plan" for persons with disabilities.

Tánaiste and Progressive Democrats leader Michael McDowell presented a mock ballot paper with the names and pictures of "alternative" health ministers from other political parties - including Liam Twomey of Fine Gael, Liz McManus of Labour, John Gormley of the Green Party and Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin of Sinn Féin.

Posing for photographers in front of a giant 'ballot paper' headed by Ms Harney's picture, Mr McDowell placed a number '1' in the box beside her name.

Mr McDowell said his colleague was the only real candidate for the position of Minister for Health in the new government and that a vote for her was a vote for reform and change in the health service.

"Yes health is a major issue in this election. And the Progressive Democrats say today that the central issue for health in this election comes down to one question - who will provide, and who will be the best Minister for Health?"

"This is a crucial decision for the people. They know now who wants this job as Health Minister - just four candidates: Mary Harney, Liam Twomey, Liz McManus and Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.

"We offer a candidate with 30 years experience in the Oireachtas. We offer a person with ten years experience at the Cabinet. We offer a candidate who, even as first-time Minister for State, achieved lasting reform for health and the environment in banning smog in Dublin.

"We offer a candidate who was the most successful employment Minister in Europe, who then asked for the job in Government no-one wanted," Mr McDowell said.

"A vote for Mary Harney is a vote for change, for reform, for progress in health. This is the era of change in health. Mary has started the job. Let her finish it."

Mr McDowell said health was "complex" and that reform was equally complex.

"If somebody had a magic wand to wave, it would've been waved a long time ago," he said.