Post-mortem services in Waterford need to be guaranteed – Murphy

The impending withdrawal of coroner-requested post-mortem services at University Hospital Waterford from January 2026 is deeply concerning, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Deputy Michael Murphy is warning that “this development will have devastating human consequences for bereaved families across the south-east.”

Each year, approximately 700 post-mortems are carried out at UHW on behalf of the Coroner’s Service – often in cases of sudden, accidental or tragic deaths, including the deaths of young children and mothers. From January, it remains entirely unclear who will carry out these essential examinations, or where grieving families will have to turn.

“Behind every one of these post-mortems is a family in deep shock and distress. These are not abstract numbers, they are sons, daughters, mothers and fathers. Sometimes very young children whose families are already traumatised by sudden loss. The idea that these families might now face long delays in having their loved ones returned for burial is utterly unacceptable.”

Deputy Murphy has raised the matter through Parliamentary Questions, seeking the Department of Justice to engage with the HSE to ensure the continuation of local post-mortem services at UHW.

In response, the HSE confirmed that UHW had formally notified the Department of Justice in November 2024 that consultant pathologists could no longer provide coroner-requested autopsies from January 2026 due to unsustainable workloads and recruitment challenges. While the HSE will continue to provide mortuary facilities and support staff, responsibility for coroner services rests with the Department of Justice.

“This is not an administrative issue – it’s a human one,” Deputy Murphy continued. “When a tragic death occurs, families need answers, compassion and dignity. Long delays in post-mortems mean long delays in funerals, leaving families unable to grieve properly or find closure. That is simply intolerable in a modern health and justice system.

He has called for an immediate, cross-departmental action to protect what he described as a vital public service that provides both medical clarity and human decency at the most difficult of times.

“I’m calling on the Department of Justice to engage with the Department of Health and the HSE to secure the continued provision of coroner post-mortem services in Waterford. Families in the south-east deserve no less,” concluded Deputy Murphy.