Funerals in Limerick were recently delayed for several days due to limited pathology services, with locum pathologists from Hungary brought in to provide cover. In the week between Christmas and new year, a limited service was available in the mortuary at University Hospital Limerick. The disruption in Limerick coincided with similar difficulties in Waterford, where coroner-directed autopsies have been carried out by locum pathologists from the UK since early January. Consultant pathologists at University Hospital Waterford had confirmed that they would withdraw from conducting coroner-requested autopsies at the hospital morgue from January 1. “However, there is a severe shortage of pathologists to complete coronial autopsies in the Mid-West region and indeed across the country.

Source: Irish Examiner March 02, 2026 15:00 UTC