Sex abuse cases: HSE admits failings in foster abuse

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has for the first time admitted significant failings in cases of “savage” rape and physical abuse of disabled children in a foster home in the South-East, seven years after allegations were first raised.

The failure of the HSE to formally acknowledge the plight of victims before now and its handling of the abuse has been severely criticised by two leading members of the Dail’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The abuse of children and young adults at the foster home, which occurred between 1983 and 2009, continues to be the subject of Garda investigations. The HSE had said these investigations are the reason for its silence up until last night.