Andrews: State must accept it failed children in care

THE state needed to accept it had failed children in its care, according to Children’s Minister Barry Andrews.

But he denied that his failure to publish any of the reports he received on children who died while in the care of the state was tantamount to a cover-up.

He said there were 23 tragic cases since the Children First guidelines were introduced a decade ago, and he had received reports into four of them.

The broad circumstances of the 23 deaths were read into the Dáil record last night.

Last night the HSE disputed this figure and said 20 children had died during the period. However, this was because it only counts children actually still in care when they died and not those who died shortly after their 18th birthday, such as in the case of Tracey Fay.

The minister’s office said 23 deaths was the figure it worked off.

Mr Andrews said the delay in publishing the reports was motivated by a need to balance the public’s right to know with each family’s right to privacy.

“I stress there is no intention to cover up these cases. I have no agenda to protect reputations,” he said.

All of the children died while in the care of the HSE or the old health boards between 2000 and 2009.

Mr Andrews said he would look at reopening the cases of six children who died prior to 2006. These were caused by suicide, drug overdoses and, in one case, a hit and run. But no outside investigation was carried out. He said it may be possible to look at them again to see if the facts of each case and the recommendations made could be released.

The minister also revealed to the Dáil the recommendation of a Review Group which looked into five previously unexamined cases.

This was finalised last year and will inform a working group on child protection guidelines. The group said a case review panel should be formed in all cases of premature deaths, a protocol should be developed to deal with the justice system, health professionals needed to get involved with at-risk children earlier and staff should be given a support and guidance service.

Mr Andrews attacked Fine Gael for its decision to publish the report into the death of 18-year-old Tracey Fay on the website without the full consent of her family.

He said this would make it harder to get cooperation in future non-legal inquiries because they will fear the details will be released in the same fashion.

Mr Andrews accused the opposition of getting “party-political” for asking why the current protocol did not require for his office to be informed every time a child in care died.

However, FG’s health spokesman James Reilly said it did not matter which party was in power, the Children’s Minister should be notified.