A report into the death of a two-year-old girl whose heart surgery was postponed has severely criticised the country’s leading children's hospital for inaction in recruiting intensive care nurses.
The report says that if the operation on the Limerick girl, Róisín Ruddle, had gone ahead at Crumlin Children's Hospital in June 2003, her chances of survival would have been greater.
It also says the Department of Health was aware of nursing manpower problems in the area since the mid-1990s.
Róisín was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect after her birth in 2001. The surgery in June 2003 was to have provided an artificial channel in her heart.
Within hours of her being sent home after the surgery was postponed, Róisín died.
The report into her death was published today after an inquiry by a three-person independent inquiry, set up by the then Minister for Health, Micheál Martin.
The report is available to download in pdf format from the website of The Department of Health.
