Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government promises to reform the HSE into a more efficient, transparent health service. Over the weekend the Taoiseach was forced to apologise to four pathologists in University Hospital Waterford whose very serious assertions regarding unacceptable conditions at the mortuary he had dismissed out of hand. The pathologists outlined that due to inadequate body storage and refrigeration facilities at the mortuary, most bodies lie on trolleys in corridors, leaking bodily fluids on the floor.

They also stated that some relatives had to wake their loved ones in closed coffins due to advanced decomposition caused by the conditions at the mortuary and they were never told why, which is astounding. We now know that the State Pathologist has directed An Garda Síochána to avoid using the mortuary due to concerns about evidence contamination. Therefore the Taoiseach was clearly right to apologise and the pathologists have been vindicated. However, on this occasion sorry is not enough and we now need to see action.

I welcome today's commitment, secured by An Teachta Cullinane, from the Minister for Health that representatives of the Department of Health, the HSE and the hospital group will appear before the Joint Committee on Health. Will the Government now take the next step and commit to a fully independent investigation of these issues to ensure the full facts are heard? Will it publish terms of reference for such an investigation? Crucially, when will a new mortuary be built at the hospital?

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