Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. As he is aware, the first part of the question relates to the barbaric abuse, both physical and sexual, perpetrated on children in County Roscommon, which resulted in the mother of children being convicted in the courts in January 2009. The father involved was convicted only recently and sentencing is due on Friday. Originally, it was promised that the report into the Roscommon tragedy would be published in July. My understanding is that its publication has been delayed for understandable reasons pending completion of the criminal prosecution. When the Minister of State stated the report will be published in a matter of weeks, what precisely is meant by that? Does he know whether the report essentially is complete? Does it merely await publication following sentencing, which is expected this Friday? Are there other issues the Minister of State anticipates will arise with regard to the publication of the report? It is clear, based on what already is known, that this report will depict yet another appalling failure by the Western Health Board in respect of this family to provide children with the protection to which they are entitled. I note it is the same health board that was criticised in the Kelly Fitzgerald report. Is it known whether the report in full will be published? Does the Minister of State know whether the report, as prepared, includes an audit of the extent to which, in the years that followed the publication of the Kelly Fitzgerald report, the Western Health Board failed to implement the recommendations contained therein? Will publication of the report require prior permission from either the mother or the father of the children who were the victims of abuse in Roscommon?

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