The support group for women operated on by the Drogheda obstetrician struck off for professional misconduct has welcomed the news details of the case are to be given to the gardaí.
A spokeswoman for Patient Focus, Ms Sheila O'Connor, said this morning she believed "absolutely" that Dr Michael Neary should face criminal prosecution. She also called for a public inquiry into the matter.
The obstetrician was struck off by the Irish Medical Council last month after it found he was guilty of professional misconduct in removing the wombs of ten women at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda during the 1980s and 1990s.
The IMC said yesterday they would be handing their report to the gardaí in Drogheda for their consideration.
Ms O'Connor said this morning the news was a vindication of Patient Focus' five year struggle for justice. "It became very clear to us that this was no mere medical negligence situation, that there was a lot more to it, and we have been proved right," she said.
Ms O'Connor said woman treated by Dr Neary deserved to see justice for the wrongs done to them. "It was more than a hurt, it was a grievous assault in my opinion," she said.
Controversy over Dr Neary first emerged in 1998 when two midwives reported concerns about the high number of hysterectomies he was carrying out at Our Lady of Lourdes.
Recently he lost an appeal against a High Court award of €270,000 damages order for negligence against him to Ms Alison Gough, from Ardee, Co Louth. Ms Gough's womb was removed by Dr Neary after the birth of her son. About sixty other cases against him are pending.