Paediatrician appointed to child abuse commission

A former paediatrician has been appointed to the Lafoy Commission into child abuse.

Professor Edward Tempany is to specifically examine the use of children in care during the Sixties and Seventies as guinea pigs in drug trials.

The commission was set up by Minister for Education, Michael Woods, to examine abuse in State-run schools.

However, following the Central Medical Officers report into the drug trials, it was decided to include the vaccine tests in Justice Lafoy's terms of reference.

Professor Tempany, who formerly worked at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Dublin, will start work as soon as possible.

He will examine the circumstances, legality and ethical propriety of the trials.