Harney's role in health key to campaign

PD health briefing:The Progressive Democrats yesterday centred the party's election campaign on the health service firmly around what it said was the character, experience and achievements of Minister for Health Mary Harney.

Tánaiste and PD leader Michael McDowell said a crucial question for the people in the election was who they wanted to run the health services. He said that there were just four candidates for the job: Mary Harney, Liam Twomey of Fine Gael, Liz McManus of Labour and Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin of Sinn Féin.

He said the public should assess the achievements of each and see how they had been tested. Mr McDowell added that people should examine "who had stood firm or who had caved in or made political capital when a strong stance was necessary.

"What health needs is not simply adding more capacity, it needs something quite different. It needs the courage to do the tough job, the leadership to square up to issues and to stand firm when that is required. In short, character built on deeply held values and an appetite for the job," he said.

Mr McDowell said Ms Harney had a vision for the job based on deep commitment to public service. He said that she was one of the few politicians who actually wanted to go back to the Department of Health.

"A vote for the PDs is a vote for Mary Harney to stay as Minister for Health," he said.

Mr McDowell said Ms Harney had achieved more in two-and-a half-years as Minister for Health than all her predecessors for the past 10 or 15 years. He said Ms Harney had achieved a 50 per cent reduction in waiting times in hospital A&E departments, had started the hygiene audits which resulted in hospitals being cleaner and had initiated the largest expansion ever of services for older people.

Ms Harney said that she would put in place 12 "guarantees" for patients. These included the offer of an appointment for elective or non-urgent hospital treatment within two months and a maximum wait of six hours in A&Es.