Shatter calls for HSE co-operation

Legislation to remove the legal impediments preventing the HSE from handing over files on children’s deaths should include provisions to ensure full co-operation with the review group into child deaths, Fine Gael has said.

Fine Gael Children’s Spokesman Alan Shatter's call comes a day after the HSE revealed that a total of 37 children have died in the care of the State over the last 10 years.

Mr Shatter said he had "serious concerns" that "minimum, if any" co-operation will be forthcoming from the HSE. He said he was concerned that the work of the review group "will be unnecessarily prolonged".

Mr Shatter cited "difficulties created to date by the HSE" and what he described as "the unnecessary delay" in the review group commencing its work, "for which the HSE is responsible", as reasons for his concern.

The Fine Gael spokesman said he was calling on Minister for Health Mary Harney and Junior Children's Minister Barry Andrews to "publicly acknowledge" the need to ensure statutory recognition is given to the role of the review group in the forthcoming legislation.

He called for the terms of reference to be "clearly stated" and provision contained in it "to ensure the maximum co-operation" from the HSE, and to prevent the HSE "either obstructing or sabotaging the review that must be undertaken".

Mr Shatter also called on the Government to give an "absolute commitment" that sufficient Dáil time is allocated to ensure the legislation is enacted before the summer recess.