The body of a Chinese national who died in Dublin's Mater hospital five days ago remains unclaimed.
The man, who had been living in Ireland illegally, and who was in his mid-40s, died on Tuesday following a brief illness.
The dead man had no relatives in the State. His wife in China has been informed of his death by officials from the Chinese embassy in Dublin. An embassy spokesman said yesterday that it was waiting to hear if she, or other family members, were prepared to travel to Ireland to claim the body and to organise a funeral.
"We should hear that in the next few days" he said. The hospital said yesterday that there had been no developments in the case, and that it was hoping someone would come forward to assist. It is understood that the Eastern Regional Health Authority is prepared to bury the man if no relatives come forward.
This is the first time the Mater Hospital had to deal with the death of a foreigner based illegally in Ireland who had no other family in the country.