A Dublin brother and sister died within a month of each other from long-term complications of previous intravenous heroin abuse, Dublin City Coroner's Court has heard.
Inquests into the deaths of Stephen Foley (34) and Valerie Foley (26), both of McCarthy Terrace, Rialto, detailed how the siblings were both HIV positive, had contracted hepatitis and were chronic alcoholics.
Their mother, who has eight surviving children, told the inquest that Stephen and Valerie were recovering from heroin abuse but remained on methadone programmes.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell commiserated with the Foley family members present in court. "I'm so sorry you are here to hear two inquests. Drugs are one of the greatest social problems in our society at the moment. You've lost two of your children as a result of long-term complications of drug use. I can't imagine the trauma you must have suffered losing two children so close together to previous drug dependence."
Mr Foley was discovered dead in his bedroom on the afternoon of September 10th, 2005. His mother said her son had returned to bed feeling unwell earlier in the day. "I went out and said I'd bring him back the papers. Then I got a call on Thomas Street to say he was dead."
A postmortem carried out by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy found a considerable amount of methadone in his system but the cause of his death was bronchial pneumonia and meningitis. Her report stated that he was HIV positive and more susceptible to infections.
"Although he had not used heroin for six years, he died of complications of his heroin problems in the past. It is not natural causes, because unfortunately Stephen died from his lifestyle choice in the past. It caught up with him in the end," Dr Farrell told the court. He recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.
Valerie Foley presented at St James's Hospital on the morning of October 6th last year with a pain in her abdomen and died 18 hours later in the A&E department still awaiting a bed in the intensive care unit, her mother told the court. "I asked the doctors to come over to her but they were too busy. The doctors kept saying 'we're busy, we're busy'. She died in casualty."
Dr Farrell adjourned the inquest into Ms Foley's death so he can write to the hospital requesting a record of Ms Foley's attendance and for further information in order to try and address her mother's concerns. The court heard that Ms Foley died from liver failure and cirrhosis of the liver as a result of hepatitis and alcohol abuse.
Dr Farrell said her death was also linked to her previous use of heroin as well as alcohol. The inquest into her death was adjourned until February 28th. The court heard the family had requested the two inquests be heard on the same day.
Outside court, James Foley said the loss of his brother and sister within such as short space of time had been "very difficult for the family", who have lived in Rialto all their lives.