asked the Minister for Health whether, as reported, a person certified as dead is actually alive; that the said person instead of being discharged from hospital to her home was sent to an orphanage; that the body of another child was given to her parents for burial; and that the other child was in fact buried; and if he will make a statement on the matter, indicating particularly what steps he proposes to take to avoid a recurrence of this nature.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Certification of Death of living Person.
6.
The report referred to was published for the first time on Sunday last and enquiries which I have caused to be made are still in progress.
The Deputy is, of course, aware that the occurrence is alleged to have taken place in 1931. He will, therefore, appreciate that comprehensive investigation must necessarily take some little time.
I should say, however, that there is nothing to indicate that any of the allegations are properly the responsibility of the Minister for Health but in so far as they might have been the concern of the Minister for Local Governmment and Public Health in 1931, inquiries to date would appear to establish that the major allegations, at any rate, are without foundation.