Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 570: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when the analysis of the natural and unnatural deaths of children known to child protection services over the past ten years in respect of County Waterford will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27401/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Independent Review Group on Child Deaths (IRGCD) was established in response to a series of deaths of young people either in the care of the HSE or known to the HSE. The Group was established in March 2010. The Group is composed of Ms Norah Gibbons and Mr. Geoffrey Shannon.

The Group commenced its work in March 2010 and it is intended that the Group's Report will be presented to the Minister who will lay the document before the Houses of the Oireachtas and publish it. The Group is being asked to examine existing information in respect of deaths of children over the period of 1 January 2000 to 30 April 2010. It should be noted that the terms of reference of the Group require that:

In relation to children other than those who died from natural causes, examine existing reviews/reports completed by the HSE (or by others on behalf of the HSE) and, based upon this information, provide an overall report for publication which:

i. Provides on an anonymised basis key summary information regarding each child and the circumstances leading up to their death;

The IRGCD has indicated that it will finalise its report in the near future.