'Inquiry into Savita Halappanavar's death to be finished by Christmas'

"I've made it very clear this investigation must be completed as expeditiously as possible and I now understand that will happen before Christmas and I may have an interim report in a matter of weeks," James Reilly, the Health Minister, was quoted by the Irish Times as saying.

"I equally understand now that the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) have become involved and they will do that as expeditiously as possible but until I get the report I can't say what the next step is. The report will certainly inform our next actions," he added.

Savita, 31, died from blood poisoning at the Galway University Hospital on October 28 after doctors allegedly refused to perform an abortion stating "this is a Catholic country".

Reilly made his comments at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick yesterday, having earlier met Halappanavar's husband Praveen in a Galway city centre hotel.

Halappanavar said afterwards he was pleased to have finally met a Government representative four weeks after his wife died at University Hospital Galway.

But he stressed to Reilly that he does not believe the Health Service Executive (HSE) or HIQA are far-reaching enough.

"I'm just glad that we met and he just passed on his condolences to the family," said Halappanavar, who was accompanied by his solicitor Gerard O'Donnell at the meeting.

"It

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