Ireland to order statutory inquiry into Savita Halappanavar's death

Bangalore: Ireland will order a statutory inquiry, in addition to the medical one, into the death of Indian dentist Savita Halappanavar due to pregnancy-related complications after being denied abortion, in a move seen as an attempt to meet her husband's demand for a full public probe.

"... But we will also be setting up a statutory inquiry which will again, we hope, Praveen (Savita's husband) will be happy with," Ireland's Minister for Higher Education and Skills, Ciaran Cannon T D, who was on a visit to Bangalore, told reporters.

"We trust that he will trust the outcome of the (statutory) inquiry...will trust the Irish State intentions in establishing such an inquiry. We want him to be able to trust us that we will respond effectively in a really meaningful way to the tragic loss of life (of Savita)," Cannon said.

Ireland will order a statutory inquiry, in addition to the medical one, into the death of the Indian dentist.

He said an announcement on the statutory inquiry is expected to be made in Ireland later on Friday evening. "Medical inquiry will continue because we need to establish medical circumstances around her case," Cannon said.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in Ireland earlier this week published the terms of reference of its inquiry and named three new members, two Irish and one from England, of the inquiry team. These replaced the Galway-based consultants who stepped aside in an unsuccessful attempt to meet the objections of Praveen.

The report to be compiled by the team will not identify staff members involved in the treatment of Savita or any other names, according to the terms of reference.

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