The Tanaiste has defended the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, as a "dynamic Minister" coping well in difficult circumstances, in a sharp row over cancer treatment for public patients.

Ms Harney acknowledged that nobody should have to go to court in order to get treatment. She said she understood that in the recent High Court case, when the health board became aware of the difficulty at the Mater Hospital, it intervened.

There were "delivery issues" that had to be addressed but the amount of money being spent on the health services had doubled.

The Government faced heavy criticism from the Opposition over the cancer patient forced to take a High Court action when her treatment as a public patient was again postponed because of a shortage of beds.

The Labour party leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, said the Tanaiste should be ashamed to hear an eminent consultant say on radio that Ireland had the worst cancer service in Europe. It was worse, he said, than Bulgaria, Turkey, Portugal and Greece.

"Does she not feel a sense of shame that people in the southeast who need an oncology service must travel to Dublin or Cork and take their place on already overcrowded waiting lists for the provision of those services?"

Mr Quinn called on the Tanaiste to persuade the Taoiseach to bring to the health services "the same degree of focus and dedicated attention he has brought to the national stadium project in Abbotstown".

"Is the Tanaiste not ashamed to be presiding over the collapse of our cancer services after four years of unprecedented wealth?"

Ms Harney said that in the south-east region, the health board with responsibility for the appointment of the oncologist had been aware of the vacancy for an oncologist six months ago.

Fine Gael's deputy leader, Mr Jim Mitchell, said the health service seemed to be going into reverse under this Government "and despite the fact that much more money is being spent on it, the outcomes are worse and that is down to bad management and leadership by the Minister".

Ms Harney rejected this and said Mr Martin was a dynamic Minister "coping well in difficult circumstances".

Repeatedly interrupted by Opposition deputies condemning the Government's handling of the health service crisis, Ms Harney said: "I will not accept lectures from members of a former government that treated Brigid McCole the way it did".

She said reform of the health services was a priority for the Government.