State urged to expand foster home inquiry

The new Government has been urged to expand the planned Grace foster home sexual abuse inquiry into a full-blown review of Ireland’s foster care services due to fears the investigation will be “too narrow” to uncover “systemic” problems crippling the system.

Fine Gael backbench TD John Deasy, who has been central to highlighting the case and forcing an inquiry to be launched, made the claim as he warned similar scandals may be happening around the country because of severe staff shortages in the service.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner as it emerged the Conor Dignam review on which the planned commission of investigation’s terms of reference will be based is due to be completed in days and after a separate HSE and Tusla review into another foster abuse case in Cork was launched last month, Mr Deasy said he welcomes any progress in finding out what happened in the south east.