Press Release - 11 May 2010

RCNI Executive Director, Fiona Neary stated “Emily Logan and all involved in the production of this report have demonstrated that Children are not first when it comes to child protection implementation in Ireland. Whilst recognising on-going improvements and constraints within the Irish Health sector, this is a damning report which must be given attention at the highest levels of the HSE and Department of Health & Children. The level of administrative failings combined with the divergence in practice uncovered is such that Logan raises the need to question whether future child protection services should in fact remain within the context of the HSE at all.

Perhaps of greatest significance amongst the findings is the absence of any significant quality control and examination of case files by the HSE, to determine how implementation of child protection was working or failing. We support the reports’ call for an internal audit involving examination of case files to be conducted across the state.

This critical, detailed report by the Children’s Ombudsman demonstrates the on-going requirement that Ireland have an independent voice which represents children and monitors the agencies charged with their protection and care. Where competing interests are at play, including resource issues, trade union agreements, line management issues, inter-agency co-operation issues, it is clear that the protection of vulnerable children can be unacceptably undermined. It is without doubt that this leaves some children vulnerable to abuse which could have been detected and addressed.