Taoiseach: Statutory inquiry into Aoife Johnston death 'not ruled out'

Simon Harris said he is willing to meet the family of the Clare teenager, who died in UHL in 2022 in 'somewhat inexplicable circumstances'

'I do not rule out in any means a statutory inquiry,' said Simon Harris. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

The Taoiseach is not ruling out a statutory inquiry into the death of Aoife Johnston in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and is willing to meet her family about it.

Ms Johnston, aged 16, from Co Clare, died on December 19, 2022, after suffering from meningitis-related sepsis and was left for more than 16 hours without antibiotics.

The Taoiseach said that he also is willing to meet Ms Johnston's family, who are "grieving the loss of a beautiful daughter in the most horrific, unacceptable... in somewhat inexplicable circumstances," to discuss such an inquiry.

Aoife Johnston, 16, died on December 19, 2022, after suffering from meningitis-related sepsis.

"In fairness to Minister [Stephen] Donnelly, I don't have his exact remarks in front of me, but I think he was making the point that any structure we put in place, he wants to make sure that it works for the family in terms of getting answers. That's certainly a view I'd share. But I do not rule out in any means a statutory inquiry."

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Mr Harris also hit out at religious orders, which he said have "got off the hook" in the past in relation to paying towards redress schemes.

Referring to a redress scheme for victims of sexual abuse in boarding and day schools run by Catholic religious institutions, Mr Harris said: "I've specifically asked the attorney general to draft legal advice for Government on what mechanisms we can deploy, or indeed legislation introduce, to make sure that those institutions do have to contribute.

My first approach is we should ask people to do the right thing; that's not to suggest that we're naive in presuming they are going to do the right thing. If they don't do the right thing, we need to legislate to make sure that they do.

Mr Harris said he has spoken with Labour leader Ivana Bacik, who has put forward legislation on the matter, and believes there is "consensus" within the Dáil.

"In the past they got off the hook, and they're not going to this time," he said of religious orders.

"They've been issuing statements talking about how sorry they are, but we'll decide how sincere that sorrow is, depending on what they do next. So the attorney general is currently preparing advice for Government as to what the legal options are. I'd be very surprised if that doesn't require legislation.

"I'm very happy to work on a cross-party basis in this, because I think this is one of those moments where I certainly hope there is a cross-party if not consensus, at least a shared view, that we have to get this right."