This article first appeared on Galway Bay FM

The HSE has confirmed it cannot publish “comprehensive” reports once reviews of the delivery of 9 babies at Portiuncula Hospital are completed.

Reviews are underway into the cases of two stillbirths, and seven cases of oxygen or blood deprivation in newborns.

HIE is essentially a reduction in blood or oxygen to a baby’s brain before, during or after birth.

And there were seven cases recorded at Portiuncula Hospital since 2024 – and that’s a far higher rate than would normally be seen in a hospital setting.

They’re now all under review, as are two stillbirths that occurred in 2023.

At a meeting of the HSE Health Forum West this week, Councillor Evelyn Parsons asked if reports would be published once the reviews are completed.

The HSE said it cannot publish any comprehensive reports, because the reviews are specific to mothers and their babies.

But it did say that recommendations or findings that are important in terms of learning will be published with the consent of the women concerned.

It was added that two of the reviews are set to the completed in the next month or so, but others have just started and will take some time.