HSE must ‘be honest about tandem burials’

There must be clarity from the HSE about the practice of burying dead babies in the coffins of unrelated deceased adults, Fianna Fáil’s health spokesperson, Billy Kelleher, has urged.

The HSE has confirmed the practice known as “tandem burials”, and admitted it was possible that the families of both deceased were not informed of the practice.

The practice that continued up to the 1980s came to light earlier this year when a mother contacted the health authority about her case.