Parents for Justice today claimed the Minister for Health and Children Mr Martin is unfit to continue in office.
Earlier this morning, Mr Martin told the Parents for Justice group the inquiry into the retention of organs during post mortems, under the chairmanship of Ms Anne Dunne SC, should complete its work.
|
Parents for Justice withdrew from the inquiry in October because the inquiry has no statutory powers. The group has been campaigning for a statutory inquiry into how and why the organs of their children who died in hospital were retained and disposed of without their knowledge or consent.
The Minister today told Parents for Justice representatives a report on the removal, retention and storage of organs in paediatric hospitals would be ready in 12 months.
Ms Fionnuala O'Reilly, Spokesperson for Parents for Justice said: "Minister Martin is not fit to be Minister for Health as he does not appear to allow openness and transparency into one of the major health scandals in the history of the State.
"The Minister has made a mistake today of Noonanesque proportions which inevitably will have long term implications for his future political career. The Minister may expect an aggressive series of actions from this group that will bring to the public's attention the extent of this scandal. What is the fear about a Public Inquiry?, " Ms O'Reilly asked.
Ms O'Reilly also claimed Mr Martin reneged on a commitment to the group in correspondence and to the Dáil in October that the Dunne Inquiry would be placed on a statutory basis.The group expressed bitter disappointment at what it described as the "aggressive and confrontational, brief meeting" with Mr Martin in Leinster House this morning.