The mortuary at University Hospital Waterford is to get a mobile refrigerated unit.

The South/South West Hospital Group has also said a new mortuary will be completed within the next two years

It followed outrage earlier this week, when it was revealed dead bodies were left lying on trolleys due to the lack of storage facilities at the mortuary.

Four consultant pathologists issued a damning letter, after bodies were stored on corridors with bodily fluids leaking on to the floors.

The Irish Patients Association (IPA) has said this was "a terrible testimony of how those deceased and their loved ones right to dignity in death have been violated."

IPA chairman Stephen McMahon said: "We are independent and non political, we have called on the Minister for Health and the Taoiseach that as a mark of respect to the family's of the deceased that they offer sincere apologies that such a situation has been allowed to develop.

"This is 2019 not [the] 1950's, it has happening our our collective watch.

"We have also asked the Minister for Health to investigate how this developed."

Planning permission for a new mortuary has been approved - however there is no funding available.

But in a statement on Friday, the South/South West Hospital Group said: "In the immediate term, a mobile refrigerated unit will be on site, installed and available for use within one to two weeks.

"The short to medium term plan of a minor extension to the existing mortuary build and an additional refrigeration unit will be on site and available for use in eight to 10 weeks.

"The long-term plan of a new Capital Mortuary build at University Hospital Waterford will be completed within two years, subject to capital approval."