David Stanton
Question:110 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the status of the Dunne inquiry; the cost to date of the inquiry; and when it is expected to report. [27402/03]
Written Answers. - Dunne Inquiry.
Since the beginning of 2003, the Dunne inquiry has concentrated on the investigation of the post mortem policy, practice and procedure of the three main paediatric hospitals, the National Children's Hospital, Tallaght, the Children's University Hospital, Temple Street, and Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin. By the middle of October, the inquiry had heard from 56 hospital and non-hospital witnesses at oral hearings and had accumulated almost 3,500 pages of transcripts of oral evidence. The inquiry, which is non-statutory and conducts its hearings in private, continues to hear evidence. Its chairman has informed me that she has received considerable co-operation from each of the hospitals with which she is dealing. She said that the inquiry's non-statutory nature has not significantly hampered its substantive work so far. The chairman is mindful of the need to complete her report as soon as is reasonably practicable following the completion of the oral evidence. At 31 October 2003 the inquiry had incurred costs of €7.237 million. This figure includes the legal fees of the chairman and legal staff in the inquiry office and all administrative salaries and costs.