21/11/2012

Taoiseach Appeals To Praveen Halappanaver To Meet Inquiry Chairman

The Taoiseach has appealed to the Praveen Halappanaver, husband of Savita Halappanavar, to meet the chairman of the team investigating her death.

Enda Kenny said Mr Halappanavar could meet Prof Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran without prejudice to his views or his future feelings towards the investigation.

“Comments attributed to the man in the national newspapers are very different than what I see emanating from the legal team,’’ Mr Kenny added.

He told the Dáil this morning that Mr Halappanavar had said he did not want any person associated with Galway University Hospital involved in the investigation team. “And that will be the case,’’ Mr Kenny said.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said Minister for Health James Reilly should have had contact with Mr Halappanavar. “And nobody would have cast any aspersions on such contact,’’ he added.

Mr Kenny said he believed it was in everybody’s interest that the chairman of the investigation team should have a meeting with the husband of the deceased.

Mr Halappanavar is seeking a public investigation of the death of his wife, who died of septicaemia seven days after she presented with back pain. She had been 17 weeks pregnant. Her husband says she asked repeatedly for a termination but was refused as a foetal heartbeat was present.

The investigation into her death was thrown into turmoil even before it got off the ground after the Health Service Executive (HSE) on Monday named three Galway hospital consultants on the inquiry panel.

Within 24 hours they had been axed amid concerns of a conflict of interest. The inquiry chairman, internationally recognised Prof Arulkumaran, head of obstetrics and gynaecology at St George’s, University of London, has offered face-to-face talks with Mr Halappanavar to address his concerns.

(H)


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