TAOISEACH SIMON HARRIS has agreed to meet with the parents of Aoife Johnson, who died at the age of sixteen in University Hospital Limerick from sepsis after waiting 12 hours to be seen in 2022. 

On 20 September, an independent report into the death of Aoife Johnston at University Hospital Limerick found a series of failings in how the hospital handled her case. 

In the report, former chief justice Frank Clarke described the circumstances around her death as “almost certainly avoidable”.

The family’s solicitor previously said they wanted a statutory inquiry into Aoife’s death.

Speaking to reporters in Washington DC today, Harris said that he would “100%” meet with the family of Aoife Johnson.

“I’ve met with them before. They’re a beautiful family grieving the loss of a beautiful daughter in the most horrific, unacceptable and somewhat inexplicable circumstances in relation to a statutory inquiry.”

On Sunday, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said that he is “wary” of a Statutory Inquiry into Aoife Johnston’s death but would “not rule anything out”

Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week, Stephen Donnelly said he has met with Aoife Johnston’s parents and that “there is an open offer to meet them again”.

“I want to hear from them exactly how they’re feeling, and what more they want,” said Donnelly.

“I will meet them again and again, and Bernard Gloster, the chief executive of the HSE, has said he will meet them again.”

However, Donnelly added: “Unfortunately, what happens with statutory inquiries is, it’s a very legalistic process, and they don’t always give what people want.”

In Washington DC today, Harris said that he thought Donnelly was “making the point that any structure we put in place, he wants to make sure that it works for the family in terms of getting answers. That’s certainly a view I’d share.

“But I do not rule out, do not rule out, in any manner or means of statutory inquiry, the family have said very clearly through their representative that they have questions that need to be answered. We have to work with them.

“So I think the first thing to do is for myself and Minister Donnelly to meet with the family. I’m very happy for that to take place as quickly as possible.”

With reporting by Christina Finn and Diarmuid Pepper.