Harney slams delayed opening of hospital
Saturday, 24 March 2007 22:07
The Minister for Health, Mary Harney, has described the dispute which blocked the scheduled opening of Cork University Maternity Hospital today as an absolute disgrace.
The Health Service Executive said it was postponing the opening of the hospital for a week following negotiations with the Irish Nurses Organisation and SIPTU.
Ms Harney said the Irish Nurses Organisation was responsible but the union has rejected the charges.
Today's planned opening of the hospital was deferred for a couple of hours to facilitate talks between the unions and management of the HSE.
Earlier, the chief executive of the HSE, Professor Brendan Drumm rejected claims by the INO that the dispute over staffing at the hospital is about patient safety.
Professor Drumm said it was really about money.
The INO's General Secretary, Liam Doran has accused Professor Drumm of insulting the midwives involved in the dispute, saying his comments would do nothing to resolve the dispute.
The Health Service Executive has put a telephone helpline in place for maternity patients. The number is: 1850 742628.
- Six One News: Paschal Sheehy, Southern Editor, reports that Cork University Maternity Hospital has not yet opened as management and unions fail to agree
- Six One News: HSE to postpone hospital opening by one week
- Nine News: Paschal Sheehy, Southern Editor, reports that the opening of Cork University Maternity Hospital has been postponed for a week because of a dispute
