The Ombudsman for Children, Ms Emily Logan, will shortly publish a report detailing her findings and recommendations on the circumstances in which two children were wrongly taken from their families in Tallaght and Athlone last October. The children - a girl aged seven and a wee boy aged two - were taken from their parents who are members of the Roma community, after it was reported that they might not be the families' own children. These claims were totally and completely unfounded. There appeared to be no other reason for the children being taken from their families other than that they were fair-haired and members of the Roma community. DNA tests subsequently proved that the children were indeed members of their families.

I am sure the Taoiseach will appreciate that this was a highly traumatic experience for the children and their families. It was also an abuse of process and a direct attack on the constitutional and human rights of the children and their families. In my view, this happened because of a prejudiced and racist opinion of the Roma community. As our society becomes more diverse we need detailed integration strategies for the Roma community in Ireland and for other communities.

The Athlone family still does not know where their child was taken that night. They are suing the State for breach of constitutional rights, false imprisonment, neglect, damages for mental distress and possibly defamation. Will the Taoiseach make it clear that he does not intend to waste taxpayers' money defending this case? On behalf of the State, will he apologise to these two families?

I thank Deputy Adams for his question. The report commissioned by the Ombudsman for Children, Ms Emily Logan, was received by the Minister on 2 April. On the advice of the Attorney General, certain legal matters had to be attended to prior to the publication of the report. These have all now been resolved and the report was brought to the Government this morning. It was approved by the Government for publication. The Minister will do that at 4 p.m. today.

This is a commendable report by the Ombudsman for Children. It points out that there are a number of recommendations that need to be accepted, dealt with and fulfilled. The Minister will deal with this at a press conference at 4 p.m. Copies of the report have been laid before the House and the Minister will publish the report at a press conference with Ms Logan. In advance of the press conference, the Minister is meeting with the families concerned. I understand that the Acting Garda Commissioner is meeting separately with the families.

The State will provide the families with every support to overcome these events. The upset they endured and the stress that was caused over those few days last October and since then should never have occurred in this or any other jurisdiction. My Government colleagues and I are determined that such events will never happen again.

As the Deputy will be aware, the report recommends that an apology should be provided by the Minister for Justice and Equality. The Minister will do that. The report sets out a number of recommendations. The Government has accepted the findings of the report and its recommendations in full. On that basis, an implementation group will be established by the Minister to monitor the situation and see that the recommendations are acted upon.

The Department of Justice and Equality is currently leading a cross-departmental review of Ireland's migrant integration strategy. The Government is committed to ensuring that the review results in a more effective approach to Roma integration in Ireland, recognising the distinct challenges that the Roma community faces, including language, translation, mentoring and understanding. All of these things are important.

It is not acceptable that these events should have happened to these families or any other families in this jurisdiction. The Minister will publish the report and the Government has accepted all of its recommendations. An implementation group is being established to implement those recommendations. The Minister is currently meeting with the families, as is the Acting Garda Commissioner. There will be a full press conference with the Minister and the Ombudsman for Children at 4 p.m.

I thank the Taoiseach for his answer. I welcome the meeting between the Minister, the Acting Garda Commissioner and the two families. These incidents took place against a backdrop of scandalous media coverage of the Roma community. The two cases in this jurisdiction are clear examples of racial profiling by the Garda Síochána and the State. Under the Child Care Act, gardaí must have reasonable grounds for believing that there is an immediate and serious risk to the child before taking such action. Yet, as the Taoiseach has acknowledged, no such risk existed in these cases. If it did, why were the children with blonde hair and blue eyes taken away? Why were all the children not taken away if there was a risk to the children in these families?

The speed of intervention in these two cases was in marked contrast to other cases. Just a week before these incidents, the Ombudsman for Children revealed that the HSE failed to intervene over several years after a child made multiple allegations of rape. Another report revealed that 4,100 children assessed by the HSE as needing intervention had to wait for more than three months.

I welcome the Taoiseach's answer If we are to be serious about social integration, however, all the proper processes and procedures, such as training and education, need to be put in place for public servants, including An Garda Síochána. As a gesture to those people who have come to our shores and particularly those who have suffered this injustice, the Taoiseach should apologise - as the Minister will - to the families on behalf of the State.

Yes. I do not have any problem with that at all. I do apologise to those families, and particularly the children, who had to put up with these events. As I said, the report recommends that the Minister for Justice and Equality should make an apology to the families. The Minister will do so. These kinds of events should not happen to anybody in our jurisdiction. Nobody can afford to stand over that or can stand over it.

It is important to recognise that a good deal of progress has been made over the last period. For instance, all of those people who have come to our shores, have been here for a number of years and want to become Irish citizens are now formally given that opportunity at an official civil ceremony with a member of the Judiciary present. All the proper protocols are put in place so that people from other countries who come here can have Irish citizenship bestowed upon them. I appreciate that very much. In previous years, they had to attend the District or Circuit Court. Between cases of assault or theft being heard, they had to make a case to say they were there to become an Irish citizen. That stressful position has been taken away and people are now given proper accommodation and a ceremony to grant them Irish citizenship.

As regards the cases referred to by the Deputy, a good deal of work must be done by the Garda Síochána, society as a whole and our education system in mentoring and understanding the languages and different cultural backgrounds that these and other people come from. That is all part of the process. While it is unfortunate that this has happened, the State is amenable to accepting the full report and all its recommendations, as well as issuing an apology. In meeting the parents and having a press conference with the Ombudsman for Children, Ms Logan, the Minister will do that. Ms Logan's report was completed speedily, efficiently, competently and comprehensively.

Will the Taoiseach fight the legal case, if one happens?

I call Deputy Catherine Murphy.

I understand one of the solicitors will consider suing the State and that is a matter for them.