Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to share time with Deputy Kehoe.

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Chair for allowing me to speak in the House tonight about a profoundly tragic recent event in County Wexford. As Members are aware, those of us in the county have come through a profoundly sad few days. People in all parts of the county and throughout the country have been affected by this unspeakable tragedy. Deputy Keaveney mentioned the concern and pain of people in County Donegal, for example. People are stunned that such a terrible event has visited the quiet and peaceful village of Monageer. I knew the late Hughie Dunne, the father of the deceased Adrian Dunne, just as I know Adrian Dunne's dear mother, Mary. The Dunne family are decent and respectable people who are coping with life. The untimely and tragic deaths of Adrian, Ciara, Shania and Leanne Dunne have numbed the whole community. The extended Dunne family and the Monageer community must be supported during this time of great sorrow.

We must hear now from the State. I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, to outline to the House and the people of this country the nature and scope of the independent investigation, announced by him this afternoon, into this awful tragedy. I recommend to him the model I established as Minister for Health, when I appointed Mrs. Justice Catherine McGuinness to lead a team to examine the aftermath of the Kilkenny incest case. The report that was speedily and efficiently produced in that instance had a profound impact. I hope something of that nature is being contemplated in this case.

The people of Wexford are asking profound and deep questions, most notably about what has been learned since the awful death of Sharon Grace and her beautiful children, Mikayla and Abby, two years ago. The heartfelt cry of the people of Wexford is not that blame needs to be apportioned, but that answers should be sought. As a community and as a society, we aim to seek, as far as possible, to put in place whatever measures are required to prevent a tragedy of this nature and scale from devastating another family.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank my colleague, Deputy Howlin, for sharing his time. I appreciate it very much. I sympathise with the Dunne and O'Brien families on the deaths of Adrian and Ciara Dunne and their children. This is an emotional time for the people of Monageer, Enniscorthy and County Wexford as a whole. The impact of this emotional issue is being felt as far away as County Donegal. This is not an appropriate time for speaking about blame, or reflecting on whether this event should or could have been avoided.

I welcome the announcement made today by the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, that he intends to initiate an independent investigation into this matter. I hope he ensures that this issue is deeply examined, especially as there was a similar tragedy in Wexford town in 2005. My personal belief is that we have not learned any real lessons from the deaths of Sharon Grace and her two children, Mikayla and Abby. I plead with the Minister of State to ensure there is no recurrence of such tragedies in County Wexford or anywhere else in Ireland. A 24 hour, seven day service should be put in place so that it can offer assistance whenever somebody seeks it. Important lessons can be learned from this tragedy. I am not being political because I would say the same thing if I were on the opposite side of the House. I ask the Minister of State to ensure that the independent investigation results in a structure that prevents such a tragedy from recurring anywhere in Ireland.

I thank Deputy Howlin for sharing his time and again offer my sympathies to the Dunne and O'Brien families. I knew Adrian and his family quite well in my political life over the past five years. It is a sad night when we lose two lovely children and two adults.

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank Deputies Howlin and Kehoe for raising these issues and welcome the opportunity to respond. I was deeply saddened to hear of the loss of a young family in tragic circumstances in County Wexford last weekend. I extend my profound sympathies to the extended families and friends of the deceased, who are now left to come to terms with this very tragic turn of events.

I have sought a report on this case from the Health Service Executive. The Government has today agreed that, as soon as the relevant facts of this matter are outlined, an independent inquiry will be established to examine all the circumstances. The terms of reference of the inquiry will be determined in light of the facts of the case and we will disclose on an interim basis such reports as we receive. My officials are in constant contact with the HSE in this regard and a meeting between officials from my office and the HSE took place earlier this evening. The Garda Commissioner has also appointed a senior officer from outside the area to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. I am sure the Deputies will understand that it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further on this matter until the relevant facts have been established.

The HSE's primary aim is to provide child welfare and protection services within the family context, with the option of taking children into care considered as a last resort. Each individual circumstance is examined with the aim of providing the support and care deemed necessary at any given time. The provision of appropriate interventions in respect of families where concerns of risk have been expressed is a complex issue. The Garda and the HSE must balance their responses to such concerns, taking into account all the information available to them at that time, with the rights and privacy of families.

The House will recall that in previous cases which were the subject of debate in this Chamber, it has been implied that the HSE has been too zealous in taking children into care. This reminds us of the difficult and complex decisions required. The Child Care Act 1991, which Deputy Howlin implemented as Minister for Health, sets out the statutory framework for the provision of family support and child protection services. As well as supervision, interim and full care orders, which are the responsibility of the HSE, the Act provides for urgent intervention on emergency care orders by the Garda under section 12 and the Health Service Executive under section 13.

Deputy Howlin referred to the adequacy of HSE social service provision at weekends. The eastern region of the HSE operates an out-of-hours service every day of the year as part of its crisis intervention services. In the absence of a formal national out-of-hours service, other HSE areas have responded flexibly to provide this service. In 2006, a national working group was established by the HSE to review existing out-of-hours service provision and develop a national model for an out-of-hours social work service for child welfare and protection. This model is intended to meet the needs of the public and service providers who have contact with children and young people. The development and operation of an out-of-hours service is underpinned by the responsibility placed on the HSE by the 1991 Act to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. In particular, the service will aim to respond to emergencies covered under section 12 of the Act which occur outside normal working hours. I understand from the HSE that the national group has met on a number of occasions and will be putting forward proposals regarding the establishment of an out-of-hours service in the near future.

I assure the Deputy that the tragic circumstances surrounding the deaths of this family will be examined thoroughly from the perspectives of the HSE and the Garda.