Health Minister James Reilly has said he will call in the health safety watchdog HIQA to review the circumstances surrounding the deaths of infants at Portlaoise Hospital.

Four babies died under similar circumstances at the hospital over a six-year period, it was revealed in an RTE Prime Time documentary last week.

The extent of the HIQA inquiry will be informed by a review of the Portlaoise deaths currently being carried out by the Department of Health Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan.

The Oireachtas Health Committee has called on Health Minister James Reilly to outline the scope of the investigation by Dr Holohan into the deaths of thefour infants at Portlaoise Hospital's maternity unit.

The Committee, following a private meeting yesterday, welcomed the establishment of this review but called on the Minister to urgently clarify the scope of the investigation and the projected timeline involved.

The Committee, following its meeting, requested that the Minister clarify if all families who have lost babies and whose deaths have been investigated by the HSE, have been informed of the investigations, and if not, they should be communicated with immediately.

Committee Chair Jerry Buttimer said it was important that this matter was dealt with urgently, and in a timely manner, to reassure women who are due to give birth, 'not just at Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise, but also at maternity hospitals throughout the country'.

One of the families of a baby who died at the hospital met Oireachtas members, including members of the Health Committee, at Leinster House yesterday.

Mark and Roisin Molloy had been calling for a full HIQA probe into the Portlaoise case.

Patience wearing thin on safety guarantees

Public in the dark on maternity safety