FF: Savita inquiry 'dead in the water'
Fianna Fáil has said the HSE's inquiry into the death of Savita Halappanavar is "dead in the water" if her husband refuses to co-operate with it.
Praveen Halappanavar is objecting to three members of the inquiry team because they are doctors at University Hospital Galway.
The Chairman of the review team has defended their role, saying it is necessary in order to compare guidelines.
Fianna Fáil's Michael McGrath said the inquiry needs to be more independent.
Mr McGrath said: "In our view the Minister for Health needs to take personal ownership of this issue now.
"He should sit down with Savita's husband, he should agree the terms of reference, he should agree who is going to be on the inquiry and ensure that it has the full support of the family.
"Without the support of the family, this inquiry is dead in the water before it even begins."
Amid fears that the inquiry will have to be reconvened, investigation chairman Sabaratnam Arulkumaran appealed for a face-to-face meeting with Mr Halappanavar to discuss his concerns.
“The HSE is taking the concerns of Mr Halappanavar extremely seriously in relation to the composition of the investigation team and the HSE is currently examining the make-up of the investigation team,” the HSE said.
A rights watchdog, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), backed calls for the independent inquiry.
ICCL director Mark Kelly said: “Praveen Halappanavar has raised an arguable claim that his wife has been seriously ill-treated and, under human rights law, this places a procedural obligation on the State to conduct an effective official investigation.”
The ICCL said under European human rights laws, those responsible for an investigation must be completely independent from those implicated.
It said the best way to involve Galway hospital staff is to call them as witnesses, not give them positions on the review board.
