Written answers

Thursday, 1 April 2021

Photo of Matt CarthyMatt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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313. To ask the Minister for Health the cost associated with the practice of his Department of collating and maintaining dossiers of sensitive information on children with autism who were involved in legal actions against the State in each of the years 2010 to 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17734/21]

Photo of Matt CarthyMatt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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314. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to ensure that all families affected by the practice of his Department of collating and maintaining dossiers of sensitive information on children with autism who were involved in legal actions against the State will be informed of this fact and provided with copies of all documentation of this nature; when he plans for contact to be made with these families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17735/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 313 and 314 together.

I take the allegations made in recent media reports extremely seriously. A team has been set up to establish the facts in respect of specific allegations made in the RTÉ Prime Time programme on 25th March 2021. The Department has engaged with the Data Protection Commissioner.

The allegations which were the subject of the RTÉ Prime Time programme on March 25th were brought to the Department's attention last year. The Department took the matters raised very seriously and commissioned an independent, expert review by an external Senior Counsel. This review was completed in November 2020. Subject to clarification of legal matters, I intend to publish this review at the earliest possible opportunity.

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