MINISTERS ALAN SHATTER and Frances Fitzgerald have received HSE and garda reports on the removal of two Roma children from their families last month.
The two reports come a fortnight after the removal of two children, aged seven and two, from their parents in Dublin and Athlone after authorities were informed that they were not their children.
DNA tests later established that the claims were unfounded and both the gardaí and the HSE were strongly criticised. The Children’s Ombudsman Emily Logan has been tasked with conducting her own inquiry into the matter.
Under the Criminal Justice Act she has been given special powers to investigate the gardaí as well as the HSE’s actions in the two cases.
Her work will scrutinise two reports, one by the HSE and one by the gardaí, which were submitted to the Minister for Children Fitzgerald and the Justice Minister Alan Shatter today.
“It is now necessary under the legislation to draw up terms of reference for the proposed inquiry and, to ensure that the terms of reference are appropriate, it is necessary for the Minister to study the reports which have been submitted to him,” the Department of Justice said in a statement tonight .
It said this process has now begun and it is expected that the terms of the inquiry will be finalised in the coming days.
“In the circumstances, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment on what the reports from the Garda Commissioner contain,” the statement added.
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