Taoiseach offers 'deepest sympathies' to families affected by organ scandal

Luke O'Reilly, PA

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has offered his “deepest sympathies” as he said he wanted to share reviews into infant organ disposal with the families affected.

It comes after the revelation, published by the Irish Examiner, that hospitals continued to incinerate children’s organs until recently – against the HSE’s own guidelines.

It has also been revealed that multiple public hospitals held organs for more than a year, also against guidelines.

Speaking during leaders’ questions on Wednesday, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said “we can only ever imagine” the hurt caused to families.

“These revelations at the time were met with understandable public outrage, and we can only ever imagine the extreme hurt, the extreme distress, that these families have experienced,” she said.

She said parents at Cork University Maternity Hospital are still waiting for answers.

“These parents have been told on four separate occasions that there will be a delay in giving them the report of the review, despite the fact that that review is complete”, she said.

“These are parents who lost their babies in tragic circumstances, who have had to endure the heartache of hearing that their child’s organs were disposed of alongside medical waste.”

In response, Mr Martin said: “First of all, I want to express my deepest sympathies to the families involved.

“It is unacceptable, it is very, very distressing for the families concerned.”

Mr Martin said he wants audits and reviews into what happened at the hospitals to be shared with the families affected.

He added: “Again, the needs of the family for transparency should be absolutely prioritised by the HSE.”