TRIBUTES WERE yesterday paid to a senior garda officer who lost his battle against cancer following a misdiagnosis by his GP who was later suspended by the Irish Medical Council.
Supt Martin Dorney (51), a father of three, passed away at his home at Waterfall near Ballincollig, Co Cork, early yesterday morning after losing his fight against skin cancer for which he had been receiving treatment over the past number of years. Chief Supt Michael Finn of Cork City Division paid tribute to the late Supt Dorney, describing him as a first class officer and a great colleague who will be sadly missed.
Supt Dorney was involved in investigating some of the most high-profile homicides in Cork including the deaths of Robert Holohan in Midleton in 2005 and Sheola Keaney in Cobh in 2006.
Last year, Supt Dorney made a complaint to the Irish Medical Council over the failure of his GP, Dr Pat Lee from Ballincollig, to send him for further investigative surgery after he developed a mole on his thigh in 2003.
An Irish Medical Council hearing was told that Supt Dorney became concerned about a change in the appearance of the mole and attended Dr Lee who excised it and sent it for analysis to Cork University Hospital (CUH) where it was found not to be malignant.
However, CUH medical experts recommended that Supt Dorney attend the hospital for a wider local incision procedure but Dr Lee admitted he skimmed the report following a return from holiday and missed the recommendation.
The IMC fitness to practise committee recommended that Dr Lee be suspended for a period of three months and Supt Dorney later settled a civil action against the GP.
Supt Dorney is survived by his wife Pauline, daughters Aisleigh and Niamh and son Ciarán. His removal takes place today at 5pm from O’Connor’s Funeral Home in Wilton to St James’s Church in Ballinora with burial following requiem Mass at 11am on Monday.