Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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28. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of children who died, either while in State care or while known to child protection services, in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023. [14889/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The National Review Panel (NRP) for the investigation of serious incidents including the deaths of children in care and known to the child protection service was set up in 2010 as part of the Implementation Plan associated with the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (2009) (Ryan Report) to review deaths and serious incidents of children in care.

I can confirm that 23 deaths of children in State Care were notified to the National Review Panel between the years 2014 to date in 2023. State Care in this context refers to children in the care of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, in fostering or residential placements. Three deaths were notified to the National Review Panel in 2013 prior to the establishment of Tusla.

Of those 23 deaths, the majority (11) were as a result of natural causes. There were 8 deaths as a result of suicide and the remaining deaths were as a result of either medical conditions or substance abuse.

In respect of children known to Child Protection Services, there have been 176 deaths reported to the National Review Panel in the years 2014 to date in 2023. The majority of these deaths were by natural causes (84), followed by suicide (30). The remaining deaths were categorised as homicides, drug overdoses, road traffic accidents, other accidents and unknown. In 2013, prior to the establishment of Tusla, there were 13 deaths reported of children known to child Protection and Welfare services.