Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy will know that on 8 March last, the Minister of State with responsibility for children and youth affairs announced the establishment of an independent review group on child deaths. The group presently comprises Ms Norah Gibbons and Mr. Geoffrey Shannon. It has been asked to examine existing information on all deaths of children in care over the past ten years. It will produce an overall report for publication which includes, on an anonymised basis, key summary information regarding each child and the circumstances leading up to his or her death. The review will focus in particular on the relevant involvement of State services with the child and his or her family. It will examine the strengths and weaknesses of such involvement. The group will make recommendations on how child protection responses can be strengthened.

The Deputy will be aware that the validation of the numbers of children who have died in care is taking place at the moment. That remit is being extended to include children who were in care but were out of care and requiring after-care services when they died, and to children in respect of whom the Department or the HSE were notified of the need for child protection. The exact and precise numbers are being worked on and through at the minute. The HSE has confirmed that 23 is the figure it is putting forward at the moment.

It is important to point out that the Government met this morning. It is anxious to ensure that the work of Mr. Shannon and Ms Gibbons proceeds as they would envisage and to provide whatever information they require to achieve the publication of a report, as set out and agreed with the Minister. We are arranging for that to happen. A meeting of officials from the Department of Health and Children, the Office of the Attorney General and the HSE took place today to clarify the position with regard to any obstacles to the provision of necessary information to the review group. That is being worked on today as well.

I want to make the point that we will do whatever requires to be done. In relation to the report itself, any information required by Mr. Shannon and Ms Gibbons will be provided. The legal obstacles that may exist in that regard will be dealt with by means of a legislative change, if necessary. I believe a legislative change will be required. That will be prepared as a matter of urgency. An exercise is being undertaken with regard to the separate issue of the validation of the numbers. The HSE has indicated to the Minister that it should be ready by the end of June.

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