Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is all very well for the Deputy to make those points but I want to point out that for many years people in this country turned a blind eye to child abuse and did not take action. That is not for a moment to say that inappropriate action should be taken but I want to make that point because I have report after report on my desk where action was not taken by the relevant people. It is important to remember that. Regardless of whether one is talking about Monageer or the report of the independent child death review group, people repeatedly did not intervene.

In respect of the Ombudsman for Children, we have asked for an independent report and I do not believe it is appropriate to predict its outcome based on media reports to date. Deputies should support having an independent report by the Ombudsman for Children who is getting the initial reports from the HSE and the Garda and will then make her findings.

She will provide a completely independent report. It is commendable that she has the powers to investigate the Garda Síochána as the independent Ombudsman for Children. I believe that is a very important step, and it is the right thing to do. However, we should not pre-empt the findings of the independent report.

The reason we set up the independent report is to answer precisely the questions the Deputies have raised today. We will receive that report. The Ombudsman for Children has not given a timeframe for it, but as soon as she has the report, we will make it public. Let us wait and see what precise details led to the actions that were taken by the Garda and the HSE.

Emergency section 12 orders must be taken when a child is at immediate risk. It is an important part of our child protection service that the Garda has those powers. The Garda must protect children who are at risk.

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