The latest details of the Garda inquiry into the activities of a nurse suspended from Naas General Hospital are expected to be outlined to a Coroner's Court in Co Kildare next week.
The Garda investigation began in July shortly after the nurse was suspended following complaints from colleagues about the amount of medication she had allegedly given to patients.
One of those patients, Mr John Gethings, from Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, had died in March and his body was exhumed for post mortem examination when the investigation began.
The results of toxicology tests carried out on his remains are still awaited from an overseas laboratory, the Garda leading the ongoing investigation, Supt Tom Neville, said yesterday.
As part of the Garda inquiry, the home of the nurse, who denies all allegations against her, was searched and a number of documents were seized. These included some patient records which would normally be kept in the hospital to protect patient confidentiality.
Gardaí are looking at how she came to have the records at her home.
Yesterday the coroner for Kildare, Prof Denis Cusack, who is also investigating the death of Mr Gethings and that of another unnamed patient who died at the hospital earlier this year, confirmed the cases would be listed for mention at a sitting of Kildare Coroner's Court next Monday.
He will ask gardaí for an update on their investigation and the inquests will then be adjourned.
When his investigation began in July, Prof Cusack said that based on information provided to him, he was satisfied the two deaths at Naas hospital "may have occurred in an unnatural manner".
"The coroner's inquiry into the death of John Gethings and related case is in for mention at the sitting of the Coroner's Court on Monday, December 15th, 2003, at Naas Courthouse at 10 a.m.," he said yesterday.
The South Western Area Health Board, which runs the hospital, indicated some time ago it was conducting an audit of 500 files at the hospital following the nurse's suspension. Yesterday it refused to comment on how the audit was progressing.
A spokesman said the board was not in a position to comment until the Garda investigation into the matter was complete.
Last night Mr Thomas Gethings, a son of Mr John Gethings, said he was hopeful his family would soon get the results of toxicology tests carried out on his father.
"The long wait is very hard," he said.