Potential issues regarding the work of a consultant at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda were flagged to Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill weeks before patients were informed, the Labour Party has claimed.
Louth TD Ged Nash said patients were advised about a look-back review at the hospital at the end of August, 11 weeks after the Health Service Executive (HSE) first alerted the Department of Health about possible issues.
At the end of August, The Irish Times revealed that a number of patients treated at the hospital were being told about the miscategorisation of precancerous cells as part of open disclosure procedures within the HSE.
On August 27th, it emerged that just over 1,000 cases were being reviewed as part of a look-back at all histopathology slides seen by one consultant.
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Histopathology is the study of changes in tissues caused by disease. Specimens were reviewed through an established peer review process, through which concerns relating to a particular consultant came to light.
In an answer to a written parliamentary question tabled by Mr Nash, the Minister said she was aware of a look-back under way in Drogheda in relation to the work of one consultant during 2024, involving histopathology slides across a range of clinical specialities.
“The HSE briefed the Department of Health on this issue on 5th June, 2025, and I was briefed by my officials on 9th June, 2025,” the Minister said.
“On 7th August, the HSE provided an update on progress of the review indicating that discordances had been found and that affected patients would be recalled as part of open disclosure procedures.
“The priority is that any affected patients receive the care and treatment they require and that information from the review is provided to them in a transparent and compassionate manner.”
[ More than 1,000 patient cases examined as part of review at Drogheda hospitalOpens in new window ]
The Minister said the review was continuing and the HSE would update the Department of Health in line with usual protocols.
A spokeswoman for the department said a patient safety protocol provided the formal mechanism by which its officials and the Minister were informed by the HSE in an anonymised way about serious incidents affecting patients that occurred in the health service.
Mr Nash said the Minister had been briefed on June 9th, but that it took almost 11 weeks from that date for the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland hospital group, which includes Our Lady of Lourdes and the HSE to make a public statement on the matter “of serious public concern”.
“On the 27th August I formally wrote to the hospital, firstly requesting that all affected patients are contacted without delay and that their care and treatment is prioritised, as should be the case,” he said, asking that all TDs should also be briefed in so far as was possible, regarding the review process.
He said “significant questions” still needed to be answered.
“Chief among them is when the hospital first became aware of this potential issue for patients; when precisely the review commenced, and was that review prompted solely by the quality assurance review as stated, or were concerns raised separately over the performance of the consultant in question by other means, and when.”
The HSE this week told Mr Nash in a reply to parliamentary questions that the consultant in question worked at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, from February to November 2024 and was currently not working in Ireland.
“The consultant was in place as a locum during the recruitment of a permanent position which has now been filled,” it said.
The review was ongoing but “so far, no further incorrect results have emerged and no further patients have been contacted”, it said.
