Praveen Halappanavar has rebuffed a plea from the Taoiseach for him to sit down and meet the chairman of the inquiry into the death of his wife. 

Enda Kenny appealed publicly to the  widower Savita Halappanavar during leaders questions today.

However speaking on a special edition of Prime Time to be broadcast on RTÉ 1 at 9.30pm tonight Praveen repeated his demand for a full public inquiry saying he had no confidence in the HSE. 

And he told the programme he will not meet the inquiry chairman. 

"With due respect to the head of the inquiry and the Taoiseach, we won"t partake (in) the inquiry by the HSE" he said.

"We want a public inquiry".

When asked will  he meet the head of the inquiry Mr. Halappanavar replied "No".

"Answers needed quickly"

But the Taoiseach says a full public inquiry will not deliver the answers quickly.

"It would be very helpful if the legal firm would say to Praveen Halappanavar (to) sit down with this eminent chairman, discuss this matter with him, find out what happened here" he said.

"I"ve no point in going down a long road, with all of the legal complications that come from that with no answer".

"We need an answer" he added. 

Mr. Kenny has described the chairman of the inquiry Professor Alkumaran as a man of eminence and integrity.

This is despite concerns from Independent Senator Ronan Mullen that he is an advocate of abortion  having published pro-abortion views in a 2009 academic paper.