Additional mortuary space secured

Additional temporary mortuary space has been secured in counties Cavan and Monaghan. It follows an increase in deaths locally, some arising from Coronavirus infection.

Additional capacity is being sought nationwide.
The county mortuaries in Cavan and Monaghan are located at the respective local hospitals, and both now have employed additional refrigerated space.
In the case of Cavan County Council, a spokesperson said they had been liaising with the HSE and the Gardaí via the North East major emergency management arrangements in response to the COVID-19 crisis. “Cavan County Council has been advised of the arrangements in place at the national level. The local authority has also been updated on the arrangements locally at Cavan General Hospital from the Health Service Executive and elsewhere in the North East region. The council has also been in liaison with local undertakers’ representatives to gauge capacity within the system locally.”
The spokesperson for Cavan County Council anticipated the new arrangements in place are “sufficient” but the situation is “under constant review”.
Speaking to The Anglo-Celt, general manager at Cavan General Hospital, David Lynch, said: “In our existing capacity there are six spaces there. But we’ve accommodated a special unit, a refrigerated unit, and it has provided us with additional capacity of up on 30 spaces.”
He said that another unit is in place in Monaghan. “Both sites now have additional capacity accommodated, we have spoken with local authorities on that, and we are continuing to monitor the situation as need arises,” Mr Lynch said.