Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 155: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the timescale it takes on average for results of post mortems to be given to bereaved families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9220/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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There are two categories of post mortem performed in this country. The first is a post mortem carried out under the Coroner's Act, 1962 and the second, a post mortem carried out at the request of an attending doctor and with the consent of the next of kin of the deceased.

I have no function in relation to post mortems carried out under the Coroner's Act, 1962. In relation to the second category of post mortem, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Health Service Executive to arrange to have the specific question investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if action is being taken to improve the system of feedback to families on the progress involved in the post mortem procedure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9221/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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A national protocol and guidelines on the provision of a quality response to families in relation to hospital post-mortems were produced by the National Working Group on Organ Retention in 2002 and adopted by the Chief Executive Officers in 2003. In addition, the Madden report into paediatric post-mortem practice and procedures, which contained 50 recommendations, including recommendations on the provision of information to families, was published on 18 January 2006. Considerable progress has been made by the Health Service Executive in implementing both the national guidelines and the recommendations of the Madden Report in hospitals across the country and the Department will continue to liaise with the Executive to evaluate progress in this regard.