Leas Cross death report to be published

THE report into the death of the man who died of septicaemia 12 days after being admitted to the controversial Leas Cross nursing home in Swords, Co Dublin, will be made public within weeks.

Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney yesterday met with the relatives of Peter McKenna, the 60-year-old man with Downs syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease, who died after his stay at Leas Cross nursing home.

Afterward, she said the report would be published by the end of October.

She said any actions arising from the findings of the report would be taken by the relevant authorities.

Family spokesman Dan Moore said for the past four years the family had been struggling to establish the circumstances surrounding Mr McKenna’s death.

Mr Moore, a half-brother of the deceased, said the family saw the release of the report as crucial to establishing the facts and were satisfied with the Minister’s response to their pleas.

The report, prepared by Martin Hynes, former head of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service, was submitted to the Health Service Executive last month. The HSE says its legal adviser is still considering the report.

The report, according to some sources, has revealed Mr McKenna was very ill when he was transferred to Leas Cross in October 2000 and that he missed a crucial appointment at Beaumont Hospital.

Mr McKenna died of blood poisoning at Beaumont Hospital 13 days after his admission to the north Dublin home.

Mr Moore believes the blood poisoning resulted from an infection that developed after a urinary catheter was inserted.