Harney Denies Threatening To Quit

The Health Minister, Mary Harney, has denied reports she threatened to resign over the medical card debacle.

Reports on Monday claim Ms Harney threatened to walk out if the highly criticised plans to end the automatic medical-card entitlement from over-70s were scrapped.

Speaking in Dublin today, Ms Harney denied the she would take such action. She said: "I don't engage in threats, I don't play that kind of politics."

Following speculation there would instead be a renegotiation of payment to GPs that work with card users, Ms Harney said the Government is not in a position to negotiate new medical-card fees because of Irish and European competition law.

The subject was also put to the director of the competition authority's monopolies division, Dr Stanley Wong, who said any such talks would be a breach of Irish and European competition law.

The Government is understood to have contacted the IMO to discuss possible reductions in the fee structure for over-70 medical cards.

Adding to the government's already considerable woes on the subject, Fianna Fáil councillor and three-time mayor of Midleton in Co Cork has said he is resigning from the party over the proposal to means test people over 70 for medical cards.

Billy Buckley described the proposal as a savage attack on elderly people.

(DW)