The Coroner has ordered a post mortem to examine the cause of a perinatal death in Portlaoise Hospital.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed that a baby died on Saturday March 8th at the maternity unit of the hospital.

It follows a HSE inquiry into the deaths of four newborn babies at the hospital between 2006 and 2012, which found maternity care was not safe or sustainable.

The HSE has offered its condolences to the family and says Incident Management Policy is being carried out in relation to the latest death.

HIQA is also carrying out an independent inquiry into services at the hospital.

Sarah Bardon is political editor of the Irish Daily Mirror. She told Newstalk Breakfast that the mother was a patient in the hospital.