The couple at the centre of the #HollesStreetBaby case say they were “led to believe” that there would be an inquiry by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in the UK, and now that that is not the case, they feel “abandoned and neglected”.

The couple aborted their baby after it was wrongly diagnosed as suffering from a serious foetal abnormality.

The couple also told RTÉ News: “We did not take the steps to terminate lightly and we were not scared of the prospect of caring or loving a very sick child. We were told this was a fatal foetal abnormality.”

The couple have again called on Minister for Health Simon Harris to intervene to establish an independent, statutory inquiry into their case.

The couple’s solicitor Caoimhe Haughey accused the hospital of “investigating itself” and of “thinking it is above the law”. Ms Haughey also criticised Mr Harris, saying he had responded to calls for him to intervene only through officials “in a half-hearted manner”.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health has said in correspondence with the couple that it has been in contact with Holles Street “seeking assurances of the ongoing safety of termination services”.