Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

We cannot legislate for human nature. In so far as is humanly possible, the State will do what it can to put in place legislation and facilities to ensure this will not happen again. There have been eight deaths since March. There have been two cot deaths due to natural causes. There have been three suicides, the cause of one of which is as yet uncertain. There has been one death as a result of a road traffic accident. In two cases, the cause of death has not yet been declared. It is clear from the reports that the inaction or mistaken action of the child care services was not linked with the cause of death or serious incident on each of the occasions referred to by the Deputy.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, in accordance with the programme for Government, is establishing a dedicated child protection and family support agency which will provide a stronger and more comprehensive system for identifying child protection concerns at an early stage and, as a consequence, appropriate supports for families and children. In other words, we will do whatever it takes in so far as is humanly possible to ensure this system is put in place.

Neither the Deputy nor anybody else here wants any child to die in care. As the leader of the Government, I do not want it to happen. That is part of the reason it was decided to establish the Department of Children and Youth Affairs which will link directly with the HSE and those providing services in this regard. I look forward to receiving the report being prepared by Ms Gibbons and Dr. Shannon who are acknowledged experts in this field. No punches will be pulled. There will be no inadequacy in terms of the response of the Government.

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