HSE knew of hospital problems before baby deaths

Senior ministers and HSE chiefs were aware of major problems at the Portlaoise Hospital maternity unit prior to a spate of baby deaths, official letters have revealed.

As Health Minister James Reilly said he was open to an independent inquiry into how four babies died at the hospital, during labour or shortly afterwards, demands for the HSE to come clean on the controversy intensified.

Ministerial letters reveal midwifery staff at the Midland Regional Hospital wrote to the then finance minister and local TD Brian Cowen in Sept 2006, expressing “a real fear” that a mother or baby would die in their care due to problems at the facility.