The lack of proper storage facilities for deceased patients was highlighted by four consultant pathologists at the hospital over the past week.

They say it’s led to bodies decomposing on the mortuary corridors resulting in closed coffin funerals.

Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane says facts need to be established following the claims.

He has written to the Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health to fully examine the problems raised by the consultants.

He said “On behalf of all the bereaved families it is very important that we establish the full facts. It’s quite obvious that what is in the letter signed by the four consultants was very
stark, was very graphic and was very disturbing and I think families deserve to know what happened and they deserve the truth and I want to know how long this was happening, how
many deceased individuals were left lying on trollies decomposing, as was outlined in this letter and some families left in situations where they could not wake their loved ones in open
caskets. Surely those families deserve to know the truth and we need to establish the full facts as to why this was happening for so long.

Deputy Cullinane said “It was important that the lead consultant, Dr. Rob Landers, who was one of those that signed the letter appear before the committee as well as hospital management and the South South West Hospital Group and the Department because we need to understand what was the relationship between the pathology department and hospital management, what was the reporting procedures, how were any of these incidents logged, how were they managed and how were they responded to”.

He says the committee also needs to examine whether families were told that their deceased relatives had been affected by conditions at the mortuary.