asked the Minister for Health if any set period of time is allowed to elapse before the absence of a child placed in residential care is notified to the Garda, the health board and the parents.

There is no set period prescribed. It is a matter for the authorities of the home concerned to decide in the circumstances of each case.

Is the Minister in a position to comment on the recent case now being investigated by his Department?

I would not like to be pressed to comment in too general a way on it. I would be prepared to give any information requested in these questions but, as the Deputy is aware, police inquiries are continuing.

Would it be reasonable to assume that the Minister is not happy with the fact that no period of time is allowed to elapse, as mentioned in the question? Is that matter under consideration by him?

Yes. An unfortunate tragic occurrence like this naturally alterts us to all sorts of things that we might have looked at before but did not. There is no excuse for us, now that this tragic occurrence has taken place, not to look into all these aspects.

32.