The health safety watchdog HIQA has appointed members to the external team which will investigate the infant death scandal at Portlaoise Hospital.

The probe will look into the circumstances surrounding the unexpected deaths of at least four infants at Portlaoise in recent years and will look at the safety, quality and standards of services provided to patients at the hospital.

The members of the investigation team are patient advocate Margaret Murphy; UK consultant midwife Mai Buckley; retired Northern Ireland anaesthetist  and clinical director Patrick Loughran; Mayo obstetrician Meabh Ni Bhuinneain, governance expert Martin Turner, who has worked in health management in Australia and the UK; and UK obstetrician James Walker.