Roscommon scandal - HSE inquiry inappropriate

NO ONE should be surprised that relatives of the children abused by their mother in Roscommon have objected to the Health Services Executive being involved in investigating the scandal.

An inquiry team of four has been established, two of whom are senior HSE employees. This is not appropriate as we have already learnt that we are not good at self-regulation. It is even more inappropriate when you consider that the HSE default position has always been one of secrecy and silence.

It is even more confusing when Health Minister Mary Harney, in a initial reaction to the scandal, said that she imagined that health service staff should have taken them (the children) into care “an awful lot sooner”.