The death has occurred of another baby at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise. The latest death took place on Saturday and the HSE said a post-mortem is being carried out.

Portlaoise Hospital was recently the subject of a damning report by Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan, who reviewed the circumstances of the deaths of four infants there between 2006 and 2012.

The report criticised safety standards at the hospital's maternity unit, the safety culture at the hospital, and the attitudes of staff towards grieving mothers who had lost their babies.

Following the publication of the Holohan report, an interim management team was put in place for maternity services at Portlaoise, which in the longer term are set to link with the Coombe Hospital in Dublin in order to ensure higher safety and quality standards.

The latest death, which occurred on Saturday, brings to six the number of infant deaths at Portlaoise being investigated.

When his report was published earlier this month, Dr Holohan said a fifth infant death was also being investigated.

The health safety body HIQA is commencing a major safety review of all services at Portlaoise Hospital in the wake of the Holohan report.

Maternity care - no way to treat women