The Minister of State for Health, Dr Tom Moffatt, declined to comment in the Dail last night on the revelations relating to the number of Caesarean hysterectomy operations performed by an obstetrician.

He said the matter was currently under independent investigation by an expert group nominated by the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on the initiative of the chief executive of the local health board.

"I must explain to the House that all cases involving individual consultants are a matter for the relevant employer - in this case a health board - and it would not be appropriate for me, as Minister, or for my department, to become involved in an ongoing investigation of this nature.

"The health board involved in this case notified my department immediately when the issue came to light and I have been kept fully informed of developments since then." Dr Moffatt said that at the board's request, the consultant had taken administrative leave while a review proceeded. "I am satisfied that the health board concerned has taken all necessary and reasonable steps to deal with this situation and that they will continue to keep me informed of developments."

He added that in the meantime the board had arranged for a small number of patients of the consultant to be contacted through their general practitioner. It had also established a help line for anybody worried about the matter. There was also access to a social worker and to a psychologist for those who felt they had any reason to be concerned.

The Minister of State was replying, on the adjournment, to the Labour spokeswoman on health, Ms Roisin Shortall, who said the emotional and physical trauma which lay behind the issue was heartbreaking.

She asked if a counselling and support service had been established for women who were treated by the obstetrician and had a Caesarean hysterectomy.

"The consequences of this operation stay with a family and a mother for the rest of their lives and, especially given the circumstances which have recently emerged, it is vital that these mothers receive every level of support available."

Ms Shortall said doubts about the number of operations carried out by the obstetrician were seemingly first raised by midwives. However, it had now emerged that even a cursory examination of case statistics would have shown the incredible jump in the number of Caesarean hysterectomies carried out by the obstetrician.

Between 1994 and 1995, about one of those operations was carried out each year. However, between 1996 and last year an average of nine of those operations were performed in the hospital annually.