FIVE families have been forced to contact one of the country's biggest maternity hospitals after significant delays in returning the organs of deceased babies.

In one case, the Rotunda Hospital was forced to make an official apology to the bereaved parents due to the time taken to return the retained organs for burial.

The HSE confirmed that in 2007 there was one parental complaint to the hospital regarding organ retention.

However, last year, four separate families were forced to contact the Rotunda because of lengthy delays in returning body parts of children who had died.

A statement from the HSE said: "Parents are given information about the post mortem process at the time of the loss of their baby.

"They are advised that they may contact the hospital at any time to ask any further questions they might have and some did make this contact during 2007 and 2008."

The HSE said temporary retention of organs at the time of a post mortem was part of "normal pathology practice" once carried out with next-of-kin consent.

The Madden report into post-mortem practice in Ireland, which was published in January 2007, had recommended an independent audit of all organs currently retained in hospitals.

Following that, the HSE commissioned UK expert Michaela Willis to carry out an audit of hospital practice nationwide.

Her report, which is due for publication within weeks, examined all organ retention in the state, both before 2000 and since then.

The HSE said: "Regarding post-mortem examination and organ retention carried out in 2007 and 2008, the Rotunda Hospital received one complaint – in 2008.

"This related to a delay in the return for burial of organs from a post mortem carried out late in 2007. The hospital apologised to the family for the delay.

"Also in 2008, there were some delays in burial of organs as work in relation to a national audit of retained organs was ongoing at that time in the hospital.

"Four families contacted the hospital in this regard and were advised of the reason for delay. All of these particular cases have been dealt with and re-burial has since taken place."

The retention and disposal of deceased children's organs caused a massive scandal in 1999 when it emerged that Dublin hospitals were routinely dumping body parts without the knowledge or consent of their families.