Foster carers still not vetted by gardaí

Vulnerable foster children are still being put at risk due to non-existent Garda vetting and chronic staff gaps — despite Government vows to ensure childcare scandals are not repeated.

The warnings are made in two Health Information Quality Authority reports which identified a litany of standards and safety concerns in the Dublin and North East regions.

The July-Aug 2012 reports — available online at www.irishexaminer.com — focus on the HSE Dublin South East and HSE Louth local health areas.