Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 264: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason for the delay in publishing the Dunne report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7920/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I appointed Ms Anne Dunne to carry out a Post-mortem Inquiry to investigate post-mortem practice and procedure in all hospitals in the State since 1970. The Dunne Inquiry commenced its work in March 2001 and it submitted a report to me in March 2005. The strong legal advice obtained from the Attorney General was that the report could not be published for legal and constitutional reasons. In May 2005, I appointed Dr Deirdre Madden to examine the key points raised and findings in it in order to provide Government with a final report on post-mortem policy and practice. Dr Madden's report inquired into the policies and practices relating to the removal, retention and disposal of organs from children who have undergone post-mortem examination in the State since 1970. I published Dr Madden's report in 2006. A subsequent report of a Working Group, also chaired by Dr Madden, on other areas of post-mortem practice and procedures was also published in November 2006. An independent audit of all retained organs in the State, which was commissioned by the HSE, was carried out by Ms Michaela Willis and this report was published in 2009.