Opposition leaders in Britain said government overpayments to Ireland for healthcare expenses amounted to $1 billion and needed immediate redress. The overpayment was made as part of a 40-year-old arrangement for Britain to cover some healthcare costs for Irish pensioners who had spent part of their

HEALTH minister Mary Harney went public yesterday morning to defend the health service. But even as she promised improvements it emerged that the HSE intends to slash flu jabs for the over-50s and medical cards for over-70s in order to cut costs.

By MIRROR REPORTER HEALTH Minister Mary Harney is to meet with the husband of a cancer victim who died after her illness was missed three times. Karl Henry's wife Ann Moriarty died in April after her breast cancer was misdiagnosed at Ennis General Hospital, Co Clare.

By BRENDAN McDAID NORTH west cancer campaigners have been told the Republic's government is committed to ensuring a planned radiotherapy unit at Londonderry's Altnagelvin Hospital will be developed on a cross- border basis.

By Pat Flanagan MARY Harney abolished 11 health boards in 2004 and gave us a health service to die for - otherwise known as the HSE. After numerous scandals involving dozens of deaths, she has now put forward measures which look suspiciously like, well, regional health boards.