HSE to report on child deaths in State care

New guidelines will force the HSE to publish reports into the death of a child in State care within two months after it's completed.

The Health Information and Quality Authority is set to announce the new rules next week which are also expected to recommend an expert panel be established to review child deaths in State care.

The new guidelines are being prepared by HIQA as part of the Government's reaction to the publication of the Ryan Report into child sex abuse in State-run institutions.

But they've taken on added significance following the controversy surrounding the publication earlier this week by Fine Gael of the 'TF' report which prompted a special debate in the Dáil last night.

The Government has admitted that it has not published a single report into the death of a child in State care in five years.