Tallaght Hospital and the HSE have both been contacted for a comment
Tallaght Hospital is set to remove it's post-mortem cover services from Naas Hospital from 1 January 2027.
That's according to the president of the Irish Coroner’s Society, Dr Denis McCauley.
There are nearly 300 post-mortems completed in Naas Hospital each year.
Tallaght Hospital and the HSE have both been contacted for a comment in relation to this.
Nationally, funding issues and an inability to recruit for autopsy services is causing increased funeral waiting times across the country.
Recently, the forecasted retirement of an advanced mortuary technician in St Columcille’s Hospital mortuary in Co Dublin meant the facility was forced to temporarily close.
Speaking on Kildare Today, Dr McCauley said that there is a "storm coming" when it comes to Naas' services:
"I think from the Kildare point of view, there is a storm coming, it has happened in Waterford, they're having external pathologists flying in from the UK twice a week there, so it may have to happen in Naas.
"It sounds like a solution, but it's not a solution, that pathologist will not be on site to tell the consultant what has happened, it's a mess."
Dr McCauley referred to the Kildare County Coroner, Loretta Nolan, who he believes will have to do more post-mortems once the withdrawal of Tallaght services happen next year, and will "have to come up with some temporary compromise" as a result.
He also feels that the core retainment issues aren't being addressed, while also labelling the Naas mortuary as "completely unsatisfactory".
Dr McCauley added that there are solutions, but that "nobody seems to be listening".
The full interview can be heard below:
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