There were no paediatric pathologists at Letterkenny Hospital A couple from Inishowen had to travel to Dublin with their dead son because they were unable to have a post-mortem carried out on him in Donegal. The parents made the four hour journey with the body of their two-week-old son after he died in his sleep. His mother carried him in a coffin on her knee. The two pathologists at Letterkenny Hospital were not qualified to carry out post-mortems on infants. The baby's aunt, Helen McFadden, said it was "heart-breaking" for the family. "When they finished the post-mortem in Dublin they were just handed the baby back and told to make their own way home. "They were distraught, they just didn't know what was happening to them. "To be told then that they had to go to Dublin, it just made the thing a million times worse," she said. Fianna Fail councillor, Rena Donaghy, said it has been very traumatic. "Losing their son was doubly devastating for the family. "They had to travel to Dublin on a minibus and carry him on their knees because there was no paediatric pathologist available." The Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) said they were unable to comment on individual cases. In a statement about general paediatric pathology services, a spokesperson said that Donegal County Council is responsible for the Coroner's service. "The Coroner's office is a completely independent office but it is supported and administered by Donegal County Council and there is no paediatric pathologist in the north west. "It is desirable that a paediatric post mortem service is available in hospitals throughout the country, but this is not always possible due to the insufficient capacity outside of Dublin," it continued. "It is not within the remit of a hospital to provide funding for travel for the services of a paediatric pathologist."



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