Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this difficult situation at Navan hospital - which I believe is being replicated in many hospitals around the country - on the Adjournment.

It has been very difficult to get answers on this question. I have tabled parliamentary questions, concerning which I believe the relevant information has been gathered, but I have not got the answers yet. Many weeks have gone by, I have tried to meet the relevant HSE officials and the matter has been raised with the Minister, and still I have not received answers. I do not understand why this service should have been withdrawn from Navan hospital. I accept that difficulties have arisen in other hospitals around the country, although many of these are being addressed and their services will be retained. However, Navan hospital has been singled out for positive comment on its embalming services in the recent Willis report and retained organs audit, which dealt, inter alia, with facilities within hospitals for bereaved families and the provision of bereavement services. I am baffled as to why this service is being withdrawn, and I am very concerned.

It will cause enormous difficulty and great distress to the families of the deceased. It also indicates a total lack of dignity and respect towards loved ones who pass away. It is a shame on us, in this day and age. Many funeral directors will be affected who do not have embalming services. This is a very important issue and I am disappointed that the Government and the HSE, at a time of so many problems, apparently try to create more. This is not necessary and can be prevented. If the HSE has any difficulty with the services at Navan, which have been positively commented on, this should be discussed, so that any changes that might be needed can be implemented. As matters stand, it is wrong and will greatly affect families in three different ways. It will cause unnecessary delay, perhaps a day or two, in the release of remains for burial, and that will give rise to great distress and inconvenience for families. The Government should not add to the distress of families who have lost loved ones.

It will also increase burial costs - including embalming costs to prepare remains for burial. This is another unnecessary cost for families because funerals already cost a fortune. Then there is the lack of dignity towards the remains entailed in the removal of embalming services from the hospital. It will mean the unnecessary transportation of dead bodies around the county for embalming purposes, and basically this is not right. What happens in the case of a death due to C. diff.? Is it not better to have the post-mortem on the body of the deceased and embalming on site so that the remains are sterilised and the threat of C. diff. being passed on is eliminated?

Surely it is common sense to have these services all in the one place, where possible. It is unclear why the HSE wants to withdraw the services. I am very disappointed at the total lack of communication on this subject. Will the Minister try to ensure that this service is restored? Its removal is wrong. Why was the embalming service at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, stopped, since such an initiative is not indicated in the report and why was it stopped without prior notification to the funeral directors?

The review of bereavement service practices in the Willis report identified many weaknesses in embalming services within hospitals around the country. However, Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, was one of only five in Ireland which complied with the Willis recommendations. As such, it was singled out for good positive comment. It was even mentioned in press statements and so on, afterwards. The service at Our Lady's Hospital was carried out by a fully qualified embalmer, with appropriate insurance cover. Stopping this service will cause significant delays in funeral arrangements and add extra distress to bereaved families as remains have to be transferred from the public morgue into a preparation facility, and then brought back to the morgue again.

I want this service restored. The people of Navan and County Meath want this service restored. There is no reason for not having it. There is no cost to the HSE. Procedures and systems might have to be changed, which can be done. That is what management is about, there is no real explanation for this and it is totally unfair and unnecessary. The Wallis report I am quoting from, incidentally, included a detailed investigation into the question of and audit of retained organs. It recommends a great many changes. I accept the Minister of State is not in a position to address that now, but I should like a guarantee from her that the changes recommended in this report will be implemented, because many parents have suffered greatly from the scandals of the retained organs. This report, if acted upon, would prevent that. I ask the Minister of State to ensure that the Navan hospital embalming service is restored and that the recommendations of this report are adhered to as well.

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