The organ controversy at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Dublin widened last night with the revelation that the hospital harvested glands from dead children and gave them to a pharmaceutical company for research on a growth promotion product in the 1980s.
The company, which will be named under privilege in the Dail today by the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, made contributions to the hospital's research fund during the same period, it has emerged.
Mr Martin announced last night that he is to establish an inquiry relating to all post-mortem examinations, organ removal, organ retention and organ disposal at the hospital. The inquiry may also be extended to other hospitals.
He promised that the latest revelations that pituitary glands were given to a pharmaceutical company, apparently without parents' consent, for research on a growth hormone will also come under the scope of the inquiry.
The pituitary glands were taken from the base of the brains of dead children during post-mortem examinations at Crumlin hospital and given to the pharmaceutical company to assist in research in developing a growth promoter to treat people of small stature.
The Minister said the matter came to light only yesterday when officials were preparing replies to parliamentary questions tabled by two Carlow-Kilkenny TDs, Mr John Browne of Fine Gael and Mr John McGuinness of Fianna Fail, on a range of issues arising form the organ scandal.
Mr Martin revealed that documentation showed that pituitary glands were passed from the hospital to the pharmaceutical company between 1980 and 1981. There is a record that £109 in two payments was given by the company to the Crumlin Hospital Children's Research Fund.
Department sources said last night it appeared the documentation was incomplete.
The Parents for Justice Group, which represents parents whose children had organs removed without consent from Crumlin hospital, last night described the latest revelations as "very disturbing".
"We are very shocked and very distressed to hear of this. But it reinforces the need for a full inquiry," spokeswoman Ms Fionnuala O'Reilly said.
The group, which met the Minister yesterday, welcomed the decision to establish the inquiry.
Mr Martin said he was consulting the Attorney General about its terms of reference.
It has not been decided if the inquiry will be given judicial powers or if it will be set up on a non-statutory basis.