‘No plan’ to investigate alteration of vaccine trials files

The Government concedes it has “no plans” to investigate the alteration of files relating to vaccine trials at the Bessborough Mother and Baby Home, saying the current commission of inquiry will handle the matter.

Responding to a parliamentary question from Deputy Clare Daly calling for an investigation into the matter, Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone said the current Commission to Inquire into Mother and Baby Homes had the power to fully examine the issue.

“I am satisfied that the present commission has sufficient legal powers to compel witnesses to disclose documents and to provide answers on all related matters. I have no plans to separately investigate these matters. In my view, the public interest is best served by allowing the Commission to progress its investigations and to establish the facts of what happened in these homes and to make any recommendations it considers appropriate. This work is due to be completed by February 2018,” she said.

Ms Zappone said the commission’s terms of reference requires it to “examine compliance with relevant regulatory and ethical standards in relation to systemic vaccine trials”.

She also said the scope of the Commission’s remit ensures it can provide “a full account” of what happened to women and children in Ireland’s mother and baby home system.

One of the people used in the vaccine trial, Mari Steed, has stated her intention to lodge a formal complaint with An Garda Síochána and the Data Protection Commissioner.

The Irish Examiner revealed last week that certain files, relating to children involved in the 1960/61-run 4-in-1 vaccine trial and their mothers, were altered in 2002 — just weeks after the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, at that time, sought discovery of records from the order running the institution.

A document listing the changes opens with: “8.8.02 Checked the 20 files.” This is immediately followed by: “9.8.02 Made the changes.” The changes made to files Nos 5, 8, 11, 12, and 15 to 20 are then detailed.

A statement from Ruairí Ó Catháin solicitors, representing the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, stated that the Order had “no immediate knowledge of any specific event” concerning alterations made to records.

In a separate statement, the Order said it wished to “categorically state that no documents were altered”.

“In your recent correspondence, you are suggesting that something illegal or inappropriate had occurred in regard to the documents to which you refer. This is entirely untrue and we will continue to deal directly with the official commission on all such matters,” said the statement.