Harney denies any attempt to bury Leas Cross report

MINISTER FOR Health Mary Harney has denied any attempt to “bury” the report into the Leas Cross scandal by releasing it on the same day as the McCarthy report cost-cutting proposals.

Ms Harney said on radio at the weekend that she had received the report on June 10th but a number of other steps had to be carried out before it could be published.

The advice of Attorney General was sought as there were “huge legal issues”. Legal correspondence from some of the parties affected by the report had been received as late as Tuesday evening.

Ms Harney said her attendance at an EU ministers meeting on July 7th delayed its submission for approval by the Government. Instead, it was approved the next week.

“There was never any question that this would go out below the radar,” she told RTÉ’s Marian Finucane Show on Saturday. “These facts came into the public attention because of Prime Time and that’s mentioned in the report. It was clear it wasn’t going to be ignored.”

Ms Harney said when the timeframe for publication was agreed, she was unaware when the McCarthy report would be published and had been asked by the relatives of families involved with Leas Cross to publish as soon as possible.

Ms Harney insisted things had changed with the introduction of statutory regulation and an independent inspectorate, with on-the-spot checks carried out.