TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has described claims of decomposing bodies at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) as “a strange story” but added he has seen no evidence to support the claims.

According to a letter signed by four consultant pathologists at the hospital, which was made public last week and first seen by the Waterford News and Star and the Irish Times, “due to inadequate body storage and refrigeration facilities, most bodies lie on trolleys in corridors, often leaking body fluids on to the floor”.

Last Friday, the South-South West Hospital Group (SSWHG) said that a mobile refrigeration unit would be installed at the site and would be available “within one to two weeks”.

In the longer-term, the SSWHG it was a priority to replace the mortuary at the hospital.

Yesterday, the hospital group said that it had not received any incident reports in relation to the mortuary and had “no evidence that would substantiate the claims contained in recent correspondence”.

Speaking in Waterford today while canvassing with election candidates, Varadkar said he was not aware of any evidence that would substantiate the claims.

“I don’t know for sure what the truth is. We have a letter from a number of consultants last October alleging that there were dead bodies on trollies decomposing, however no evidence has been brought forward to support that,” Varadkar told reporters.

The coroner was unaware of it, the funeral homes that have been asked are unaware of it, there were no incident reports from any staff and also there were no complaints from any families, so it’s definitely a strange story.

“I don’t know if the claims were true and certainly those who made them haven’t put forward any evidence to support them.”