Seanad debates

Tuesday, 27 January 2009

Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Motion

 

4:00 pm

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

I will conclude on this. I appreciate this is not strictly the brief of the Minister of State. However, we need to have interconnectedness between the work he is doing and that of the Minister of State with responsibility for children. The investigation into the Roscommon case clearly should be an independent investigation. I know the person appointed as chair, who I am sure will do a very good job. As soon as she finds that the terms of reference are so limited, I expect she will have serious concerns. It is unacceptable for the HSE to be investigating itself. In the time of the health boards, one health board used to investigate another health board, which was seen to be acceptable. To have HSE staff members investigating themselves is simply unacceptable. I note that Senator Mary White also said this on the Order of Business. I hope the Government will immediately review that proposal and the investigation team's terms of reference. The children were left in the situation they were in because many agencies, for whatever reason, did not come together and work together. We need to investigate not just that——

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