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Harney to attend talks on patient safety

Minister for Health Mary Harney will attend a number of hospitals and talks on improving health service during her two week visit to New Zealand.

Ms Harney who arrived in the country on Monday, will participate in the St Patrick’s Day parade in Auckland on Saturday before heading for a banquet with New Zealand prime minister John Key later that night.

In Auckland she will attend a discussion at the Starship Children’s Hospital on the promotion of patient safety and assurance of quality through process improvements, IT use and medication safety.

The following week in Wellington she will meet with officials from the New Zealand department of health and attend a discussion on patient safety and quality performance management.

Ms Harney will also meet members of Irish community members of Enterprise Ireland.

A spokesman for Ms Harney said she was being kept informed of the current controversy at Tallaght hospital has no plans to travel home ahead of her March 21st departure date to deal with the issue.