A review of security at the Erinville Maternity Hospital in Cork was ordered yesterday by the Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin. Following the abduction of an infant from the hospital on Sunday evening, it emerged that nursing staff had expressed fears on security issues to management some months ago. Mr Martin visited Mr John O'Brien and his wife, Bridget, at the hospital yesterday after the return of their son, John Donal. The Minister said the incident had been a very distressing one and he was determined that lessons would be learned.
"I have asked the Southern Health Board and the Garda authorities to carry out a full security review at the hospital and to make known their recommendations to me within two weeks," he said. "It is the intention that whatever lessons are learned will be applied to all maternity hospitals in the State, and if extra cash resources are needed to implement new practices, they will be found."
Mr Martin was at Erinville Hospital within half an hour of the abduction. He was visiting his wife, Mary, who gave birth to their son, Cillian, a few days ago. Both as the parent of a new baby and Minister for Health, he said, he could appreciate how distressing the incident had been. "I know it has been very traumatic for the family. It's very hard to describe what they have been through," he said.
"I'm looking for immediate action on this and I will expect to have recommendations before me within two weeks on how security can be improved in terms of the overall working of the hospital," Mr Martin added.
The deputy general manager of the Cork University Hospitals group, Mr Gerry O'Dwyer, said that while the security review would begin immediately people should bear in mind that the tagging system and the closed-circuit cameras had worked, and that staff had acted promptly. The abduction had occurred during visiting hours, and it was difficult to create the proper balance between security needs and the needs of visitors.
Confirming that nursing staff at the hospital had raised security issues some months ago with the SHB, including the security of babies, Mr O'Dwyer said this arose during the normal staff consultative process. The electronic tagging system at the hospital had been approved by the nursing staff before its introduction, he added.
Supt Kieran McGann, who co-ordinated the search for the missing baby, said that abduction was regarded as a serious felony.
A 19-year-old Waterford woman being questioned at Midleton Garda station was being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. Her two younger sisters, aged 11 and 12, were also helping with inquiries.
The early identification of the red Toyota car by hospital staff, which led to a painstaking search for the vehicle across the State, was crucial, Supt McGann said.
A spokesperson for the hotel in Midleton where the baby was found said that a member of its staff in the hotel car-park and alerted the gardai.
Supt McGann said the hospital tagging system which alerted staff, and the closed-circuit TV system which identified the car used by the woman, were important elements in the investigation.
The matron at Erinville Hospital, Sister Mary O'Brien, said that while nurses were not present at the nurses' station in the maternity unit when the abduction occurred, they were present on the ward and in the corridors going about their normal duties.