Child deaths in care report due shortly

A REPORT on the deaths of 196 children in the care of the state over the past 10 years will be presented to the Minister for Children shortly.

The report is expected to include details of 12 unlawful deaths, approximately 26 young people who died by suicide and 19 young people whose deaths were drug-related.

Minister Frances Fitzgerald said yesterday that she was “shocked” at the lack of consistency between different regions of the country in the area of child protection.