An inquiry begins today into the deaths of a Wexford couple and their two young daughters at their home in Monageer, Co Wexford, last April.
Ciara Dunne (24), husband Adrian Dunne (29), and their children Léan (5) and Shania (3) died the weekend after the family visited an undertaker in New Ross to arrange how the couple wished themselves and their children to be buried.
It is hoped the inquiry will determine whether State services could have intervened earlier and how authorities might co-operate in future cases.
Minister of State for Children Brian Lenihan announced the investigation after it emerged that authorities had been made aware of a risk to the safety of the children following the visit to the undertakers.
It is understood that an HSE social work team was due to visit the Dunne home around the time the bodies were found by gardaí.
The inquiry, which is expected to take three months, is taking place at an unknown location in Dublin and is not open to the public.