A report into the misdiagnosis of a breast-cancer patient has been delayed until January.
An investigation was opened by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) into mother-of-three Rebecca O'Malley being give the all-clear for breast cancer at Cork University Hospital.
Ms O'Malley (41), from Co Tipperary, had a breast removed in a London clinic in June 2006, more than a year after being told that biopsy lab tests were negative.
HIQA's Dr Michael Durkin who is heading up the inquiry said today that new information, which is not being made public, needed to be examined. The report was due to be published on Monday but has been deferred until next month.
Dr Durkin said: "It would be premature to publish the report now and make recommendations without fully investigating the new information which has come to light.
Last May, Ms O'Malley attacked health chiefs for failing to act when the mistake was first noticed. She said today that it would be a mistake for the report to be published before it was completed and she expressed confidence in the HIQA investigation team.
"The important thing I feel for me and the women of Ireland is that we get to the truth of what happened and the matter is fully investigated," she told RTÉ radio.
HSE chief executive Professor Brendan Drumm apologised to Ms O'Malley and asked HIQA to look into how the error was made, how the HSE responded and how a repeat of the devastating mistake can be prevented.
Minister for Health Mary Harney also apologised.
The case was the first in a catalogue of breast cancer diagnosis blunders to hit the headlines, affecting three of the State's hospitals.