HSE to hand over files on death of children in care

The HSE is to begin the process of handing over case files on children who died in its care to the Independent Review Group.

A total of 188 children died while in the care of the HSE, and the first 37 files are due to be handed over within the next two weeks.

Emergency legislation was passed almost four weeks ago to compel the HSE to hand over case files, but the organisation has not yet done so.

The review group was set up four months ago to examine all of the cases of the 188 children who are now known to have died while in the care of the state.

The independent review panel has asked for garda files to be made available to them as well as coroners reports and, they also want to be allowed to speak to the families of the children involved.

The deaths of the children in care has also been the focus of intense scrutiny from the media since Fine Gael's Spokesman on Children Alan Shatter used Dáil privilege to publish a draft report into the death of Tracy Fay in 2002.

Minister for Children Barry Andrews says he is hopeful this final report will be ready by the end of this year.