4 Feb 2014, 17:34
The Joint Committee on Health and Children met this afternoon to discuss current issues surrounding the deaths of babies at Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise.
Welcoming the announcement by Minister Reilly, that Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan is to head up an investigation and provide the Minister with a report on the issues, the Joint Committee called on the Minister to urgently clarify the scope of the investigation and the projected timeline involved.
The Joint Committee will be asking the Chief Medical Officer to present the report to the Joint Committee once he has completed his work.
Furthermore, the Committee have requested that the Minister would clarify if all families who have lost babies in such tragic circumstances, and whose deaths have been investigated by the HSE, have been informed of the investigations, and if not, they should be communicated with immediately.
Chairman of the Joint Committee, Jerry Buttimer TD, said today that \"It is important that this matter is dealt with urgently, and in a timely manner, to reassure women who are due to give birth, not just at Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise, but also at maternity hospitals throughout the country. This is a terrible tragedy for the families involved and we extend our deepest sympathies to them at this difficult time.\"
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