In recent times we have witnessed the betrayal of children's lives in this country. The Murphy and Ryan reports made shocking revelations about the abuse of children. The initiative taken by Deputy Shatter last week exposed inadequacies and flaws in the State's system of accountability. It also exposed the arm's length approach adopted by the Government in respect of the most sensitive of issues, namely, the lives of the children of our country.

The former Ministers of State at the Office of the Minister for Children, Deputies Brian Lenihan and Smith, and the current Minister of State, Deputy Barry Andrews, were in situ during a period when information relevant to the inadequacies and flaws in the State’s system were perfectly obvious.

Following the laying before the Oireachtas of the report into the aforementioned tragic case by Deputy Shatter, statements were made in this House last Thursday. Prior and subsequent to the taking of those statements, the Health Service Executive reported that 23 children died while the care of the State. In responding to the statements, the Minister of State claimed that 20 children have died. He made no reference to the establishment by him of an independent inquiry or review into the loss of lives of children in the care of the State since 2000. Who is correct? The HSE gave a figure of 23 children while the Minister of State's figure was 20. What happened between 6 p.m. last Thursday and 9 p.m. yesterday, when the Minister of State made his comment about establishing an independent inquiry?

According to my information, and subject to correction, the Minister of State indicated there were 23 cases of children who had died in care, had recently reached the age of 18 and were known to the child protection services. The important point is that yesterday he asked the board of the HSE to validate the list of all relevant cases at the earliest opportunity.

He has established an independent group to examine the results of completed reviews of deaths of children in care since 2000. This group currently consists of Ms Norah Gibbons and Mr. Geoffrey Shannon and a third person of international standing will be appointed following consultation with the aforementioned appointees. They are being asked to examine existing information on the deaths of children in care so as to validate the categorisation of those children who died from natural causes. In respect of children who died from other than natural causes, they are being asked to examine existing reviews and reports completed by the HSE and, based on this information, to provide an overall report for publication.

The Minister of State wants key summary information on an anonymous basis in respect of each child and the circumstances leading to his or her death, focusing in particular on the relevant involvement of State services with the child and his or her family and examining the strengths and weaknesses of such involvement. In so far as learning can be identified, including common issues, the group is being asked to make recommendations on how child protection responses can be strengthened and, if considered useful, to comment on the nature of the reports or reviews available to it. Work will commence as soon as the Roscommon inquiry is completed and the report will be presented to the Minister of State, who will lay it before the Houses of the Oireachtas and publish it.

This is an important issue that needs to be addressed in the public interest. The group will be asked to indicate at an early stage its schedule for completing its work and to provide regular updates on its progress.

One of the reasons so much cynicism exists among people regarding politics and the way business is conducted here is the lack of transparency and accountability. Last Thursday, the Minister of State stated in this House, based on information given to him by the HSE, that 23 children died while in the care of the State. Both before that statement was made and subsequently the HSE reported that the figure was 20. Since the Minister of State with responsibility in the area of children must be accountable, truthful and accurate then either the information being given to him by the HSE is not accurate or it must be validated, one or the other.

Following the presentation to the Houses of the Oireachtas of the tragic Fay case by Deputy Shatter, the Minister of State has all of a sudden taken an interest and an initiative. The prioritisation by the Minister of State and the HSE in the past has been irrelevant. These children are dead and some of them died in tragic circumstances. What happened between last Thursday, when the Minister of State made no mention of an inquiry, and last night at 9 p.m., when he announced an independent inquiry into these cases? What happened in the intervening period that he must now validate or find a system of validating information given to him by the HSE in the most sensitive of cases?

The person appointed to carry out the Roscommon report is beyond repute. When that report is completed, will it be published before the review sits? This was a case of the most brutal abuse of young children. Must we wait until the report goes through the review process at the end of the year before it is published?

I cannot anticipate what information or facts will emerge in respect of the Roscommon inquiry. It will be dealt with. At all times, the intention is, where possible, to provide for publication of reports. This must be done in a way consistent with the rights of affected parties. I cannot anticipate the outcome save to give an assurance that the view of the Minister of State in all these matters is to be as transparent as possible. These are important issues, they are in the public interest and they relate to vulnerable children. There is a need to ensure that these reports are made available in the interests of public confidence and such that people discharge their statutory duties as envisaged and foreseen, but with the caveat of the need to deal with any legal issues that arise. I cannot be any more specific than that.

The Minister of State met the chairman of the HSE and officials yesterday evening. He informed them of his decision to establish the independent group. He also discussed additional measures to be undertaken by the HSE as a matter of urgency. He requested that the board of the HSE provide him with a schedule of clear timelines for completing all reviews of child deaths currently in progress but not yet complete. This schedule will include the completion of the review, finalisation of the report and publication of an executive summary in respect of each of the review dates. He will also lay a copy of this schedule before the Houses of the Oireachtas and publish it when it comes to hand.

The Minster of State has agreed with the HSE that the board will review the schedule on a monthly basis and take whatever action is required to ensure adherence to the milestone dates and to report to him in this regard each month. He has also requested that the HSE provide a validated list of all relevant cases at the earliest possible date.

In line with the previous commitment by the HSE to publish the main findings and recommendations of the report in the DF case, a case already made reference to in the public domain, the Minister of State has emphasised the requirement for such information to be published to the HSE. He has agreed with the HSE that this matter should be finalised as a matter of urgency.