Susan O'Keeffe (Labour)

I wish to comment on the case in County Mayo last week in which a man who had abused his daughters was jailed for life. One could not but concur that it was one of the most violent cases about which we had read in recent times. The hard part is that it happened in our times because the children were abused between 1986 and 2000. This case does not belong in the dim and distant past when no one knew what was happening. I understand evidence was given in an earlier trial that the then health board had been aware of some aspects of what was happening in the family in 2000. The HSE has indicated that it is in carrying out an independent review of its involvement with the family, particularly the children. I ask the Leader for clarification as a matter of urgency as to what this means, who is carrying out the review and when the report will issue. More importantly, is it sufficient and will it encompass all aspects of the case, including the point of view of the Department of Justice and Equality? It seems the query about the investigation has slipped away unnoticed. That parents could have behaved in this way under the radar for many years while coming into contact from time to time with schools and social services before disappearing from the screen is a source of serious concern about what is happening and the way in which children are being protected. I do not want to jump to conclusions such as that all children are risk, but how can we act if we do not learn from such experiences? I, therefore, seek clarification as to what has been promised, whether it is considered sufficient and whether there should be a more joined-up investigation involving the Departments of Children and Youth Affairs, Health, Justice and Equality and Education and Skills.