A former employee of a south Dublin hospice was under arrest in Belfast last night after he claimed to have helped in up to 10 assisted suicides at the Dublin facility in 1997 and 1998.
Our Lady's Hospice, Harold's Cross, Dublin, has confirmed it is the care facility at the centre of the allegations.
However, while confirming the now 31-year-old man had worked there during the period when he claims he was an employee, a statement from the hospice said all of the deaths during the period were expected.
"No queries regarding their deaths had ever been raised by their families or the medical or nursing staff," said Our Lady's Hospice chief executive, Mo Flynn.
The statement said the man now under investigation worked in St Patrick's unit of the hospice for six months during 1998. He was on a pastoral placement for one month during 1997.
This pastoral role would have involved comforting the dying rather than providing assistance or medical care to them. St Patrick's unit provides long-stay care for elderly patients.
Ms Flynn said that during the period that the suspect worked in the unit all deaths among patients were expected as a result of natural causes. The hospice management team was providing "full assistance and information to the Garda".
The man under arrest last night was being detained at Antrim Road PSNI station. He contacted the PSNI and volunteered the information on his role in the alleged assisted suicides which led to his arrest yesterday.
Gardaí in Dublin were informed by the PSNI of the statement on Monday evening. Management at Our Lady's Hospice were informed immediately.
A decision was taken by Deputy Commissioner Fachtna Murphy to send two experienced Garda investigators to the North to assist the police there assess the man's credibility.
The two Garda members - a superintendent from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and a detective sergeant from Crumlin - are expected to make their initial thoughts known to Garda Headquarters, Dublin, today.
It is understood the man has already undergone a psychiatric assessment, the results of which were unknown last night. The Irish Times also understands the man maintained an address in Northern Ireland during the time he now claims to have assisted with the alleged suicides.
