Minister 'outraged and alarmed' by secret dossiers on autistic children 

Shane Corr, a senior civil servant at the Department of Health, went public with details of the secret dossiers. Picture: RTÉ Investigates/RTÉ

The Minister of State for Disabilities Anne Rabbitte has told the Dáil that she is "outraged and alarmed" at the revelation of 'secret dossiers' kept on autistic children by the Department of Health.

The Dáil heard statements on the RTÉ Investigates story, which revealed that as many as 400 families may have had dossiers compiled on them by the Department of Health.

Fianna Fáil junior minister Anne Rabbitte told the Dáil that she "feels and understands the heartache, worry and disgust raised" by the programme. 

She insisted she was not aware of the practice and thanked whistleblower Shane Corr for bringing the story to light.

"I was alarmed and outraged, as so many deputies were. Since the broadcast, families have been left to question whether they have been impacted. 

Work is continuing in the Department to assess all files and to see what contact may be needed so that families can be informed.

"I have been in government as Minister of State with responsibility for disability in the department since last July and this is not a process I was aware of, nor had I been informed that a senior counsel had investigated the matters raised by the whistleblower, Shane Corr. I thank Shane for bringing this to the public's attention."

Trust damaged

Sinn Féin's David Cullinane said the revelations had damaged trust in the health services, particularly from those families who may need access to services the most.

"Some of the graphic information that was held is absolutely outrageous. There can be no justification for it," he said.

Labour's Áodhán Ó Riordáin said the programme had "exposed the contempt the State has for families who are dealing with difficult and challenging diagnoses".

Fianna Fáil TD Jennifer Murnane O'Connor said that the Government "needs to rebuild trust between the public and the State agencies and not break it down".

Earlier during Leaders' Questions, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty that an investigation is underway into the matter, but he couldn't give a timeline for when it might conclude.

"The Department of Health, at the instigation of the Taoiseach, has set up a team to examine the facts in respect of the specific allegations made in the RTÉ Investigates programme and I look forward to it reporting back as soon as possible and any resulting actions being taken without delay.

"I am assured by the Department that the legal approach has always been to settle cases on the best terms possible and on the issues and outcome of the proceedings."