RTÉ Investigates has learned the long-awaited independent review of maternity services at Portiuncula Hospital in Co Galway is now expected to be published in March.
In a letter to affected families this week, Chair of the Review James Walker, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Leeds said: "We have now completed the penultimate draft of the report and are currently awaiting some final commentary from a number of different parties... we therefore anticipate that our final report will be released to the SAOLTA Group within two weeks of receipt of the final replies, which we currently expect will be during the course of March."
Meanwhile, the Saolta University Health Care Group, which oversees the management of Portiuncula Hospital, says it is continuing to progress work on the implementation of the recommendations from individual reports provided to families last year.
The hospital has again apologised to families for the delay in publishing the overall review, acknowledging in recent correspondence that the entire process has "no doubt added to your distress".
The final review of maternity services at Portiuncula Hospital - which will examine a total of 18 cases - was commissioned over three years ago.
