A group of over 200 parents met today to formally establish the Parents for Justice group. The group has been formed following the controversy surrounding the removal of organs from dead children without parental consent. The group is demanding a full public inquiry into the issue. The group met behind closed doors in a Dublin hotel. Fionnuala Reilly is heading up this new organisation. Her son died five years ago and just last week had the organs returned from Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin.
Late this week, the group met the Minister for Health, Brian Cowen, and has been given assurances that every effort will be made to provide full information to individual parents. A similar scandal at Liverpool's Alder Hey hospitals prompted a public inquiry in Britain. As with Britain, it now appears that more than one hospital has carried out the practise here. Two other names have emerged from callers to Parents for Justice.
Today, Parents for Justice was formally established with the purpose of seeking a full public inquiry into the removal and retention of organs at Our Lady's hospital in Crumlin. They are also looking for a designated help line to be put in place immediately by the hospital, but for it to be manned by Department of Health officials. They are also demanding the immediate provision of independent counselling services for families who have been traumatised by those who have been effected. The group will meet the Minister Cowen again next week.
