Govt to set up independent inquiry into Co Wexford deaths

The Government has announced plans to set up an independent investigation into the deaths of a young couple and their two children in Co Wexford over the weekend.

Adrian and Ciara Dunne were found dead at their home in Monageer yesterday afternoon along with their two young children, Shania and Leanne.

Mr Dunne is believed to have killed his wife and children before hanging himself.

It has since emerged that a local undertaker contacted the authorities when Mr Dunne inquired last Friday about funeral arrangements for his family.

The gardaí asked a local priest to visit the family home and he subsequently spent two hours with them on Friday night.

However, further attempts to contact them over the weekend were unsuccessful.

The HSE also says it had contact with the family through its public health nursing service on Friday, but had no concerns at the time and did not have an out-of-hours service over the weekend.

Earlier today, the IPSCC said an independent investigation was needed into the child protection issues raised by the case.

It said the public needed to know if a risk assessment was conducted and if the HSE and the gardaí worked together in line with child-protection guidelines.

"It may be that everything that could have been done was done," ISPCC chief executive Paul Gilligan said.

"But if this case identifies the lack of an out-of-hours service, then I think we have a very serious issue to address because it won't have been the first time that the lack of such a service resulted in the deaths of children."