Report into Neary scandal to be published later today

A government-commissioned report into the activities of disgraced obstetrician Dr Michael Neary is due to be officially published today.

Leaked details of the report by Judge Maureen Harding Clarke have already revealed that Dr Neary carried out 129 hysterectomies at Our Lady's Hospital in Drogheda between 1974 and 1998.

Most obstetricians would carry out less than 10 in their careers.

The report is believed to criticise the failure of the health authorities to notice the unusually high number of hysterectomies being carried out.

It is also believed to point to a deliberate attempt by the hospital to cover up the situation by removing files relating to many of the patients involved.

Patient Focus, the group representing Dr Neary's victims, has said it hopes today's report will reveal how the situation was allowed to continue.

Spokesperson Sheila O'Connor said: "We need an understanding of how that could happen and we need to make sure it can never happen again."