Is the Minister satisfied that when the boy was taken into custody he was not suffering from the effects which led to his death? While I accept that nothing malicious was done to the boy and that this was a very grave tragedy, will the Minister take steps to ensure that in future when any boy is taken into custody a similar thing will not happen?

There is no question whatsoever that the meningitis from which the boy died was contracted while he was in Garda custody or as a result of being in such custody. The State Pathologist informed the Garda authorities in writing at the time that in his view it was virtually certain that the boy caught his infection while he was at liberty and not while he was in Garda custody.

That is the very point and I do not want to labour it, but if the boy had been at home or somewhere else might he not have been taken to a doctor or to a hospital instead of being held in custody?

I do not want to go into details because this case is at present being inquired into but in reply to the Deputy I feel I should say that this young boy had been living rough away from home for approximately five months.

Is this not all the more reason why medical attention should have been sought.

That is argument.

That is a very important point. Will the Minister give me some assurance that, in cases where a boy is living rough and not under the supervision of his parents, the authorities will seek medical attention for him. May I have a reply to that question?

This matter is under investigation at present. I do not want to say anything more about it for the reasons I have already given. The inquiry has started. I do not expect it will take too long.

Will it be a matter of months or weeks?

I would hope it will not be months.

Will the Minister give the House an assurance that in cases similar to this medical attention will be called immediately.

That is a separate question.

It is a very important issue.

I accept that but it is a separate question.