HSE ‘lied to parents’ over deaths at Portlaoise Hospital

The purpose and structure of an external review of how red flags in relation to baby deaths at Portlaoise Hospital were not passed up the HSE’s chain of command will be known within the next two weeks.

Health Minister Leo Varadkar said HSE director general Tony O’Brien had decided to bring in an independent investigator to find out why issues were not passed to those higher up.

Mr Varadkar said that he expected the terms of reference for the inquiry would be drawn up either this week or the next and the report would be completed in three months.