Haughey in stable condition in Dublin hospital

The former Taoiseach, Mr Charles J. Haughey, was still "critically ill, but stable" in hospital in Dublin early today following a collapse at his home early yesterday morning.

Fears for Mr Haughey grew after Beaumont Hospital announced at 11 a.m. yesterday that he had a "serious life-threatening cardiac condition" and was being sedated to allow ventilation.

However, his condition improved during the day. His medical team, led by Prof Eoin O'Brien and anaesthetist Dr Brian Lamont, took Mr Haughey off the ventilator early yesterday evening.

The 75-year-old former Taoiseach sat up in bed later yesterday evening to greet his wife, Maureen, and his children, who had spent an anxious day at the Dublin hospital.

Last night, the general manager of Beaumont Hospital, Mr Liam Duffy, said that Mr Haughey's condition would be monitored closely over the next 24 hours "as is normal in cardiac cases".

His consultants would be examining him again early this morning and might decide to transfer him from intensive care to the hospital's coronary care unit, Mr Duffy said.

Mr Haughey's son, Sean, a Fianna Fail TD for Dublin North Central, spoke to journalists at the hospital: "The good news is that the ventilator has been removed, so he is breathing normally again."

Earlier reports that his father had suffered a heart attack were incorrect. Instead, he was believed to have suffered from ventricular defibrillation, a condition in which the lower chambers of the heart function irregularly.

"It would appear that he didn't actually have a heart attack. He has spoken to members of his family recently. He was able to crack a joke or two and seemed to be in good form", Mr Haughey said.

"So, while he's still critical, he's stable, and he will be staying in the intensive care unit tonight. Please God, he will be removed to the coronary care unit tomorrow.

"He has made splendid progress all day. I am not a medical person, but the doctors seem to think that he will not have a relapse, that he is on the road to recovery."

Despite the optimism, the hospital emphasised that the former Taoiseach remained "quite ill". A spokesperson said: "He is in a weakened condition, but he is out of danger at the moment."

Yesterday's health scare is not being directly linked to the medical problems which led Mr Haughey's legal team to try to have him excused from giving any further evidence to the Moriarty tribunal late last year.

In January 1997, following revelations concerning payments from Mr Ben Dunne but prior to the establishment of the McCracken (Dunnes Payments) tribunal, Mr Haughey suffered a minor heart attack.

Last October, his senior counsel, Mr Eoin McGonigal, said that Mr Haughey should have to give no further evidence because he was terminally ill with prostate cancer.

Following an examination in December by two London medical consultants, the tribunal agreed to hear Mr Haughey's remaining testimony for one hour a day, and in private, to reduce the stress he was facing.

Mr Haughey was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1995, but his condition had "become particularly acute in the last six months", a medical report produced by Mr McGonigal stated.

The former Taoiseach had refused to answer queries from the tribunal, insisting that all of the evidence relating to his finances should be heard before he was asked to respond.

He completed giving evidence to the tribunal under the one-hour rule last Thursday morning, although it is possible that he could be called back if new areas of investigation arise.

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, was kept informed about Mr Haughey's condition during the day but was not in direct contact with any member of the family, a Government spokesman said.