Harney still awaits report into organ retention scandal

MINISTER for Health Mary Harney has yet to be told when the first report by the State’s five-year inquiry into the organ retention scandal will be on her desk.

The Dunne Inquiry, that has cost over €18 million, has missed five deadlines for the submission of the report on the post-mortem practices of the country's children's hospitals. The inquiry, chaired by Anne Dunne SC, had been due to produce the report on post-mortem practices in paediatric hospitals by Christmas. A further report on post-mortem practices in maternity and general hospitals is expected by Ms Harney before the inquiry ends in March.

The inquiry has been reviewing post-mortem practices in all hospitals in the State since 1970.

It is also examining any arrangements between pharmaceutical companies and hospitals in relation to the retention of organs.

This summer it emerged that around 30 hospitals had supplied pituitary glands from deceased children to pharmaceutical companies to make human growth hormone.

Ms Harney said she was "surprised" not to have received the report before Christmas but was hopeful of receiving it at the earliest opportunity. She has pointed out, however, that the deadline for the completion of the second report still stood. Ms Harney also intends meeting with the campaign group for those affected, Parents for Justice, "as soon as possible" and would be writing to them shortly to arrange a meeting.

Parents for Justice spokesperson Charlotte Yeates said they were delighted that they had at last got a positive response from the minister to their request to meet her. "We sent eight letters to Ms Harney asking for a meeting since her appointment last September the last one was hand-delivered last Thursday," she said.

Parents for Justice, representing 920 families affected by the organ retention controversy, withdrew from the inquiry in 2002, citing lack of confidence in its work. The campaign group has received less than €1 million from the State since it was established in December 1999.

Ms Yeates said the delay in producing the organs' report vindicated their position. "We are really disappointed that the first report has still not been submitted to the minister and will have a lot to say to her when we meet her."