The Dublin city coroner has decided to take the "unusual" step of recalling witnesses who have already given evidence at an inquest into the death of a baby delivered by water birth in Cavan General Hospital, to allay concerns raised by the baby's family, an inquest has heard.
The baby, Harry Eccles, died after his mother, Gina Eccles (24), gave birth to him at the hospital on February 26th, 2006, in a birthing pool with the aid of a midwife.
When the full inquest into the baby's death reopens at an undecided date in late November or December, the court will rehear the evidence of key witnesses, including midwife Elizabeth Loughran, Dr Alan Finan, a paediatrician attached to Cavan general, and Dr Mathew Thomas, a neonatologist at Dublin's Holles Street hospital.
The crucial decision follows a submission by the family's barrister, Sara Antoniotti, that the key witnesses be recalled as the Eccles family were unaware of the pathologist's findings that Harry died as a result of drowning when the witnesses were giving evidence when the inquest first opened on May 8th.
As a result the family claimed they did not ask the questions they would have asked had they been aware of the pathologist's findings at that time. The Eccles family was not legally represented at that time.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell said his decision to recall the witnesses would cause stress and inconvenience to them, but he believed he had no other option.