Report on child deaths in HSE care may not be published until February

THE Government has admitted it could be February next before the conclusions of a review of deaths in children in HSE care are published.

The Child Death Review panel, consisting of child law expert Geoffrey Shannon and Barnardos’ Norah Gibbons, were appointed early this year to review the deaths of children in HSE care in the past 10 years.

In September last, Minister for Children Barry Andrews said the panel would have completed their work by the end of the year. However, a spokesperson for the minister’s department confirmed yesterday it could be late January or February before the report was finalised.