Inquiry into incest case confirmed by HSE

The Health Service Executive has announced details of an independent inquiry into the handling of the Roscommon incest case. The inquiry is to examine whether social services acted appropriately in the case and will be chaired by Norah Gibbons, Barnardos’ Director of Advocacy and Central Services.

The announcement was made this evening after a preliminary report by the HSE into the handling of the case was given to the Minister for Children Barry Andrews. He requested the report on Thursday evening after the 40-year-old mother of six was sentenced to seven years in prison for incest, sexual assault and neglect of her children.

Social services in Co Roscommon were in contact with the family over an eight-year period before the children were taken into care in 2004.

Health authorities in Co Roscommon tried to have the children removed from the family home in October 2000, but were prevented from doing so after the children's mother secured a restraining order from the High Court.

The health board went back to the court but failed to have the restraining order removed in May 2001.

Under the terms of reference the inquiry will examine the entire management of the case from a care perspective and identify any shortcomings or deficits in the care management process.

Mr Andrews said he believed the approach being taken by the HSE represented "the most sensitive and expeditious way of dealing with these issues. I am confident that the proposed terms of reference are sufficiently broad to ensure that all the relevant facts are established and appropriate findings are made2.

Barnardos' CEO Fergus Finlay welcomed the appointment of Ms Gibbons as the independent Chair of the investigation and said it was crucial that the investigation "looks comprehensively at the steps taken to protect these children and where, if any, gaps in the system caused a failure in that protection.

"We must learn from this case to ensure that all vulnerable children at risk of neglect and abuse can be given better protection in the future. The lessons, however painful they might be, must be taken on board," he said.

Laverne McGuinness, HSE National Director, Primary, Continuing and Community Care accepted that the children at the centre of the case had been "let down badly by society. We — and all agencies — have to openly and honestly look at, with our current knowledge, what we did, examine the part we played and learn from that. We need to make sure that we do everything we can to ensure, in as much as is possible, that no other child has to face such an unspeakable tragedy ever again."

The other members of the investigation team are Leonie Lunney, the former CEO of Comhairle, Paul Harrison, a childcare ppecialist with the HSE and Gerry O’Neill the National Manager with Specialist Childcare Responsibility at the HSE. The investigation is expected to be completed within six months and the final report is to be published.