Widower tells Cork inquest death of wife and son could have been prevented

Mr Downey said his wife and newborn son would not have died in Cork University Maternity Hospital if there was better communication between medics

Kieran Downey, husband of the late Marie Downey, told the inquest at Cork city Coroner's Court: “These are people, our loved ones. It could be anyone’s loved ones." Photo: Cork Courts Limited

A man whose wife and newborn son died in Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) said their deaths could have been prevented if guidelines were followed and there was better communication between medics involved in her care.

Kieran Downey also told Cork City Coroner Philip Comyn that he has no confidence in the HSE system after he discovered six weeks after the deaths of Marie and four-day-old Darragh Downey that their deaths had not been recorded on the hospital’s Maternity Patient Safety Statement for March 2019.