The 32-year-old man went to a PSNI station in Belfast last January and told police he had given some patients at Our Lady's Hospice in Harold's Cross extra drugs to help them to die when he worked there in 1998. The PSNI immediately informed gardai of the claims and a lengthy probe was launched. A file was sent to the DPP but gardai last week told the hospice that no criminal charges will be filed.

A spokeswoman for Our Lady's Hospice told the Sunday Tribune that it had also carried out its own detailed investigation into the allegations and was satisfied that nothing untoward had happened.

The employee worked in the St Patrick's unit for six months in 1998 and was on placement at another unit for one month in 1997. He moved to Northern Ireland soon afterwards.

Gardai determined that 24 people died in the hospice while the man worked there and that eight people passed away while he was on the premises. The families of the eight people were informed of the allegations and each death was reviewed but it was determined that they all died from natural causes.

After going to the PSNI last January, the man was given a psychiatric assessment and spent time in a mental health facility as an in-patient. He continues to receive medical treatment as an out-patient. It is understood that the PSNI has prepared a file recommending he be charged with wasting police time as there was no truth to his claims.