Reported figures on child deaths a ‘scandal of enormous proportions’

THE suggestion that the Minister for Children and the HSE are not aware of the number of children who have died while in state care defies belief, Fine Gael has said.

Responding to reports that the figure could be as high as 200, the party’s spokesman on children Alan Shatter said if the tally was accurate it was a scandal of “enormous proportions”.

He called on Minister for Children Barry Andrews to respond “immediately” to the claims.