Aoife Johnston’s inquest

The aftermath of the inquest

Letters to the Editor. Illustration: Paul Scott
The Irish Times - Letters to the Editor.

A chara, – Doctors and paramedics suffered through the inquest (“Systemic failures at University Hospital Limerick led to death of Aoife Johnston, says coroner”, April 26th). All were shaken, some shattered, some in tears, all traumatised. But not a single manager was called to account for the long-established mess that is UHL A&E.

Overworked, overloaded, nurses and doctors were at the front line and had to account for themselves but how and why were those who were well paid to “manage” allowed to hide? – Yours, etc,

BRENDAN RYAN,

Cork.

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Sir, – The inquest into the death of Aoife Johnston recorded it as one of " misadventure”.

This use of archaic legalese in inquest outcomes needs to be reformed to allow a coroner’s verdict to be immediately intelligible to ordinary citizens.

While the coroner’s court is not designed to apportion individual blame in the death of a person, surely it doesn’t have to tread so carefully that its verdict becomes meaningless? – Yours, etc,

BRENDAN BUTLER,

Dublin 9.

Sir, – I regard myself as a fairly well-educated person. I cannot understand why a verdict of unlawful killing was not returned after Aoife Johnston’s inquest.

Similar negligence occurred in the Stardust tragedy. – Yours, etc,

HENRY BOURKE,

Kilkenny.