A holy order that was formerly the proprietor of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda has said it would welcome and co-operate in any public inquiry into the unnecessary removal of women's wombs there.
The Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMM) also said they wanted to express their deep regret for the pain and sorrow caused to the women who had unnecessary Caesarean hysterectomy operations performed on them.
The order ended their ownership of the hospital in 1997 when the North Eastern Health Board took over.
The High Court previously found that a doctor at the hospital, Dr Michael Neary - who has since been struck off the practitioners list by the Irish Medical Council (IMO) - was negligent in his treatment of Ms Alison Gough at the birth of her only child in October 1992.
It held that the consultant obstetrician could have carried out certain procedures on Ms Gough that would have made it unnecessary to remove her womb.
Over 60 women who allege that Dr Neary unnecessarily removed their wombs are expected to come before the High Court later this year.
Today, the order issued a statement in which it said: "We, the Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMM), wish to express our deep regret and sorrow for the pain, sense of loss, hurt and anger of those women and the families of those women who had operations which deprived them of their ability to conceive and have further children."
It said: "In addition, we acknowledge the dismay and sadness these events have caused to all the medical, nursing and other staff in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda".
The order added: "We believe that it is important to seek answers about how and why this happened. For that reason we would welcome and support a full inquiry into these events and we pledge to assist and participate in any such inquiry".
This is the first opportunity the order has commented on the events surrounding the Dr Neary case. Up until now, due to the proceedings of the Irish Medical Council and the Courts, it did not believe it appropriate to make any statement.
An additional 15 women claiming mistreatment against Dr Neary have come forward in recent weeks, according to Patient Focus, a support group which represents women who say they underwent damaging gynaecological operations at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.