Taoiseach says he was ‘wrong’ about Waterford mortuary scandal

Leo Varadkar has bowed to sustained criticism of his response to revelations about bodies decomposing at Waterford mortuary by admitting he was "wrong".

The Taoiseach said he wanted to “apologise unreservedly” to anyone who felt he had played down the seriousness of the refrigeration issues raised by four pathologists at Waterford University Hospital.

They said dead bodies had been left lying on trolleys at the hospital, leaking bodily fluids onto corridors and making closed-coffin funerals unavoidable in some cases.

Earlier this week, Mr Varadkar said he was not sure if the claims were true and referred to there being “no evidence” to support the “strange story”.

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In Westmeath on Friday, he said he regretted if he had struck an adversarial tone when questioning the revelations.

But on Saturday afternoon, he moved to make a more fulsome apology in a statement acknowledging his error over the “deeply disturbing” controversy.

“This is one I got wrong,” he said.

The Fine Gael leader said there were "conflicting accounts" when asked during the week about the distressing conditions at Waterford mortuary.

“On the one hand, a letter from four consultants making deeply disturbing claims about conditions in the mortuary and on the other hand, a statement from hospital management saying there was no evidence or supporting complaints to back up the claims,” he said.

“I did not want to jump to conclusions or to side with one group or staff against another without knowing facts or before an investigation was carried out. That’s why I said that I did not know if the claims were true or not.

“Over the course of the week, corroborating statements have come to light and complaints have been made that I believe support the views expressed by the four consultants.

“I want to apologise unreservedly to anyone who feels that I did not treat this issue with the seriousness or sensitivity it deserved.”

In his statement, the Taoiseach said it had “never been in dispute that the mortuary is sub-standard and needs to be replaced”.

“Planning permission has been granted for a new one and I am assured that it will go to tender and construction this year,” he added.

“In the interim, temporary measures are being put in place.”

Other political parties have rounded on the Taoiseach over his original response to the revelations, with Labour leader Brendan Howlin accusing him of Trumpian tactics by disparaging as false the truths that were inconvenient to him.