A HOTEL waiter died from alcohol intoxication, an hour after his managers were requested to call an ambulance for him, an inquest has heard.

Dublin City Coroner heard how waiter Dennis Quirke (63), of Berryfield Crescent, Finglas South, Dublin 11 had no pulse when the emergeny services arrived at the Regency Airport Hotel, Dublin 9.

His death occurred on October 25, 2008, at approximately 11.15am.

Efforts to resuscitate the waiter, who had worked at the hotel for 15 years -- and who was known to drink while working -- continued until he was pronounced dead at the Mater Hospital at 11.35am.

A post-mortem found Mr Quirke, who had severe heart disease, died of inflammation of the pancreas due to alcohol intoxication. He had a "significantly high level" of alcohol in his system. He had 327 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in his system at the time of his death.

Dublin City Coroner's Court heard that hotel employee Mr Abu Talebe spoke to two managers at the hotel at approximately 9.45am on October 25 and told them that Mr Quirke "wasn't talking anymore" and that an ambulance should be called.

Mr Talebe had assisted Mr Quirke, into a small room off the restaurant, known as the "wine bar" sometime around 8am and 8.30am and had checked on him on two occasions, once at 8.45am, when he was sitting on the floor with his head against the wall, and again before 9.30am.

At 9.30 Mr Talebe found Mr Quirke, a father of five, asleep on the floor, snoring.

Fifteen minutes later Mr Talebe spoke to two managers at the hotel, David Kiely and Pat Fox and told them Mr Quirk wasn't talking anymore and that an ambulance should be called.

Mr Talebe told the inquest Mr Kiely said he didn't want to call an ambulance while Mr Jim McGettigan, the owner, was in the restaurant.

Manager Mr David Kiely told the inquiry that he "didn't say it that way".

"I said he could sleep it off," and then put him in a taxi and send him home.

He said this had happened before -- over the years -- and Denis had fallen asleep and was put in a taxi home when he woke up.

Accommodation manger at the hotel, Mary Ryan, phoned an ambulance just before 11am, minutes after she checked Mr Quirke and was unable to find a pulse, although she was unsure as to whether she was looking in the right place. Mr Talebe found a weak pulse some time before 10am, the court heard.

"There's no doubt Mr Quirke died in the wine bar," said coroner, Dr Brian Farrell.

The coroner recorded a verdict of death by misadventure and expressed his condolences to the family.

jlast@herald.ie

- Jane Last