Harney Consider's Legal Action Over Comments

The Minister for Health, Mary Harney, is believed to be contemplating legal action after personal comments by journalist Nell McCafferty were broadcast on Newstalk last week.

A spokesman for Ms Harney confirmed today the “matter is the hands of her lawyers”.

It's believed that Ms Harney, who is currently in New Zealand, is considering suing the station and Ms McCafferty for defamation.

Ms McCafferty made the comments during Tom Dunne’s show on Thursday morning. However, she later said she thought she was off-air at the time and only realised later that her comments were being broadcast live.

The station has issued two separate apologies, accepting that it had made an “abject failure” in allowing the allegations to be broadcast.

Ms Harney is currently under intense pressure over the issue of a massive build up of unchecked x-rays at Tallaght hospital.

The Health Minister has already faced criticism today as she makes a meet and greet visit to New Zealand today promoting the St Patrick's Day celebrations, despite the issue raging at home.

Handling the situation at present, the Fianna Fáil TD and Minister of State Conor Lenihan described a meeting this morning with the Chief Executive Designate of Tallaght Hospital as "constructive".

Minister Lenihan met separately with the combined group of unions representing staff at the hospital and Professor Kevin Conlon to discuss the controversy surrounding the failure to have almost 58,000 x-rays reviewed by a Consultant Radiologist.

Speaking after the meeting the local TD said: “I am much reassured that the backlog of unexamined x-rays will be dealt with between now and May with few so far showing problems for patients.”

“It is now up to the HSE to investigate thoroughly the systems failure that occurred at Tallaght Hospital as such an investigation could prevent a similar problem at other hospitals around the country,” said Minister Lenihan.

(DW)