Parents denied access to post-mortem files

PARENTS seeking details of post-mortem procedures carried out on their children have been refused access to records despite making requests under the Freedom of Information Act.

Dozens of appeals are with the Information Commissioner who is due to rule by the end of this month on whether the hospitals and health boards involved acted correctly.

Parents for Justice spokeswoman Fionnuala O'Reilly said every hospital and health board identified as having an involvement in the controversy had been asked to make disclosures and there had been refusals across the board. "Our legal advice is that they were obliged to give out this information and we can not understand how they can keep it secret," she said.