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.

However, the vice-chair of the previous Dáil’s public accounts committee said unless a wider examination of the entire foster care system also occurs in tandem with the inquiry, any investigation will fail to highlight similarly concerning cases in other parts of the country.

“There absolutely needs to be a broadening [of Mr Dignam’s terms of reference], there is no doubt about that,” Mr Deasy said.

“When the report started, we didn’t think the terms of reference were broad enough to take in all the issues regarding foster care, the HSE and the alleged abuses [involving ‘Grace’ and ‘Anne’ in the south east home].

“That was no fault of Mr Dignam. But since then [the launch of the initial Dignam review last year] a lot more has happened. The HSE has issued apologies to the families involved, they have admitted there were failures across the board.

“The only issue here is how expansive this commission will be in relation to foster care.

“There are issues with resourcing throughout the whole disability sector which leave vulnerable children at risk because they are not checked on for years, other cases have come to the surface.

“So really there is a need to make sure the inquiry also encompasses the whole foster care area. I think it’s reasonable that at this point we go beyond looking at one specific case,” he said.

Mr Deasy said that other than the high-profile allegations of a cover-up by senior health service management of the south east foster abuse case, other issues central to it involve “the entire foster care area”.

He said it is vital any examination of the case not only focusses on what happened to Grace and Anne but also investigates “whether or not there was a systemic problem as opposed to isolated cases”.

Mr Deasy said he and Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness — who was also central to highlighting the abuse allegations and forcing an inquiry to be launched — are willing to meet with new super junior minister for disabilities Finian McGrath to discuss their concerns and proposals.

While stressing Mr McGrath “needs a bit of time to study the materials because there’s a lot in it”, he said both TDs want to meet with the Independent Alliance member to explain the need to widen the investigation if necessary.

“I think at some point, when he is ready and has absorbed the facts, it would be useful to meet and give our take on what we think about it.

“It would be once the Dignam report has been released,” he said.