Two investigations are under way into the death of a woman in her 50s just days after she was admitted to Wexford General Hospital in a severely malnourished state.
Gardaí in Enniscorthy have begun a full-scale investigation into the death of the woman, who it is understood had been bed-bound in her home as a result of arthritis and another illness.
Although living with relatives, she was found lying in her own excrement with maggots on her body in a malnourished and dehydrated state when an ambulance was alerted by a concerned third party on New Year's Day.
She was taken to Wexford General Hospital where she died at the weekend. A postmortem has been carried out at the behest of the State Pathologist's office.
However the results have not yet been released.
Last night the Health Service Executive South Eastern Area said it was setting up an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the care of this woman.
The inquiry will be an independent one.
A Garda source said last night its investigation was a "serious" one as all the indications were that the woman had died of neglect.
She died, the source said, "in a bed in absolutely horrendous circumstances".
"It's hard to believe it could happen in this day and age".
Sources said the ambulance crew were physically sick after seeing the dreadful conditions in which the woman had been living.
It is believed she weighed less than four stone at the time of her death.
Her body was transferred to Waterford Regional Hospital following her death for postmortem examination. It was carried out by the State Pathologist's office.
A friend of the woman, who visited her in the hospital the day of her death, says she was so thin she was barely visible under the bed sheets.
The HSE said it would co-operate with any Garda investigation.
The dead woman, who was buried yesterday, is believed to have been on a waiting list with Wexford County Council for a special-needs home.