Vol. 518 No. 1
124 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has had discussions with the Irish Hospitals Consultants Association regarding the sharp drop in autopsy permissions; and the implications this decrease will have on the future of medical audit. [11010/00]
Prior to the establishment of the inquiry into post mortem examination policy, practice and procedure in the State since 1970 and in particular as it relates to organ removal, retention, storage and disposal I had a number of meetings with interested organisations including the Irish Hospital Consultants Association.
In the course of that meeting it was brought to my attention that, since last December when my Department issued instructions as to the need to obtain informed consent from next of kin in cases where hospitals performed non-coroner post-mortem examinations, there were indications from some hospitals that the number of post-mortem examinations requiring consent have shown a decrease.
