A Bill that will allow coroners take evidence from more than two medical witnesses at inquests has been passed into law.
The Private Member's Bill initiated in the Dail recently by Labour leader Pat Rabbitte closes what the TD said were a number of anomalies in the existing Coroners Act.
The Government accepted the Bill earlier this month so that an inquest into the death of a two-year-old boy could hear more than two witnesses.
"This restriction had created particular problems in regard to the deaths of persons in hospitals, where the evidence of several medical witnesses, covering a range of medical specialities, may be required," Mr Rabbitte said.
"A number of inquests have been adjourned or held up in the hope that this anomaly might be dealt with and I had representations from some of the families involved urging the Oireachtas to act."
The new law also provides for penalties of up to €3,000 or up to 12 months imprisonment for witnesses who fail to turn up at an inquest.
"It is relatively rare for a government to accept a Private Member's Bill tabled by a member of the opposition. It is even rarer for a government to facilitate the speedy passage of an opposition Bill, as happened in this case. I want to again extend my thanks to the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, for his cooperation in this matter," Mr Rabbitte added.
"I hope that our combined efforts will now ensure that a number of families who have been seeking details of the deaths of the children in hospitals will now to able to get full details and achieve closure."
Mr McDowell accepted the Bill as a "remedial" measure pending a Bill for comprehensive and overall reform of the legislation.
There were 23 possible medical witnesses in the case of Pierce Nowlan, from Saggart, Co Dublin, who "died of brain damage after being admitted to hospital on his second birthday for a routine operation linked to his condition as a haemophiliac", Mr Rabbitte said recently.