Inquiries after baby found floating in pond

Three separate investigations are expected to examine an incident in which a one-year-old child who was in the care of a children's home, suffered a serious injury.

Seán Ross McGowan was found floating face-down in a pond in Ranelagh Park, Dublin on Tuesday afternoon. He was revived by a passing GP but remains in a critical condition at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin.

The incident happened close to Miss Carr's Children's Home in Northbrook Road, Ranelagh.

The home is almost exclusively funded by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and caters for single mothers who are in transition to permanent accommodation.

It also provides a nursery for 25 children and a residential home for four other children. Seán, who is 20 months old, and his mother Rose McGowan, are both residents.

The home confirmed that the children had been supervised at the time, but the level of supervision and the number of children involved will be the subject of an independent investigation carried out by Suzanne Phelan, a former childcare manager with the HSE.

The home employs 18 trained and qualified care staff.

Ms Phelan will also examine the circumstances of the incident, the response of the home and recommend what lessons can be learned.

Nursery services in the home have been suspended until further notice and a team of counsellors have been brought in to provide advice and support for clients and staff.

The home's chief executive, Christina Hughes, said it had operated since 1887 and it was the first incident where a child in its care had suffered serious injury.

"Staff members accompanied the child and mother to hospital and have been with them on a regular basis, offering whatever support they can," she said. "Our prayers and thoughts are with the child, his mother and family at this difficult time."

The HSE said it did not have previous problems dealing with the home and standards were always maintained there, but it would be investigating it as part of its remit under the Child Care Act. A spokeswoman said: "The HSE will continue to offer all possible support to the family."

A separate investigation is likely to be carried out by the Gardaí.