The Health Service Executive has said it has decided to refer matters raised in the internal Children's Health Ireland report to An Garda Síochána and intends to meet gardaí very shortly to discuss it.
The HSE said it has also decided that matters raised in the report will be referred to the Medical Council and it will discuss with CHI how this will be done.
The Medical Council is the policing body for doctors' behaviour.
Once the report has been received, gardaí will assess whether an investigation should be commenced and, ultimately, if a report should be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
The unpublished report has caused shock in Government circles, with Taoiseach Mícheál Martin saying yesterday that the "essence" of the report should be made public given the disquiet it has triggered.
The report, which has been seen by RTÉ News, concluded that "a root and branch review" of use of the National Treatment Purchase Fund and other waiting list initiatives "should be undertaken".
It also said "the longest waiters were not seen at NTPF clinics" and that "45 children who required surgery did not receive a date for same and instead were placed back on one consultant's inpatient waiting list which has a significant wait time".
The report was first referenced by The Sunday Times last month, when it reported that a consultant who has since retired had breached guidelines by referring public patients to the doctor's own weekend clinics.
This evening, CHI said it is seeking further legal advice, following the Minister for Health's request that the internal report be published.
