Fears rate of child deaths in care higher than 200

THERE were fears last night that an estimate of 200 deaths of children in care in the past decade could be exceeded at the same time as an expert panel awaits files from the HSE.

The chief executive of Barnardos, Fergus Finlay, said he now feared that the figure of 200 child deaths in state care could be even higher.

“That is deeply shocking, as is the fact that the review team has not been handed a single file,” Mr Finlay said.