City mayor Cllr Padraig Conneely claimed this week that people did not have confidence in the way in which the HSE West handled the Roscommon child abuse case.
Alleging the health authority was “asleep” and had “taken its eye off the ball”, he told a meeting of the HSE’s Regional Health Forum west that the public needed assurance that protocols were in place to prevent such a tragedy ever occurring again.
Speaking to this newspaper afterwards he said it was important to establish if the HSE had learned from this case.
“I’m very annoyed, like the whole country is, at the HSE’s handling of this case. I believe the HSE did not act quickly enough, it was asleep. People are on to me saying how could this happen in modern day society.
“I’m concerned too about if the HSE has learned from it. If a similar case occurred how would they act? What procedures/protocols are in place? How would they deal any differently with it? Would it end up the same way as the Roscommon case? Who takes responsibility at the end of the day?”
He stated the HSE’s actions at the time prompted a number of questions, especially its response to a High Court injunction taken out by the 40-year-old mother of six preventing the removal of the children from the family home.
Cllr Conneely, who is a member of the Regional Health Forum West, said he was concerned also about the independent inquiry being set up to examine how the health service managed the case.
He said two of the four-person team are HSE officials. “I’m sure they are reputable people but in the public’s eyes that sort of inquiry may not be seen as independent. It is essential that this inquiry is open, transparent and lays the blame on those who are responsible.
“The country is crying out at this horrific case and it is important to get to the bottom of why it happened and why it was not detected earlier. It is horrific what these six children had to endure over the years.”
Cllr Tomas Mannion, the chairman of the HSE forum, said he hoped the investigation would uncover any weaknesses or gaps in the system and prevent this situation ever happening again.
Cllr Michael Mullins (Ballinasloe ) said there was a feeling “out there” that maybe cases “not quite as bad” as this were happening.
He said there was a real issue of protection for people who blow the whistle on potential abuse in family situations. People were scared, he said, and proper protection was needed for these conscientious people who were doing their jobs, such as teachers and members of society.
“The process they have to go through puts people off. They are concerned at the implications for them personally. Obviously a lot of people turned a blind eye [to the Roscommon case]. We must make sure this never happens again.”
Seamus McNulty, the assistant national director of the HSE’s primary, community and continuing care department, said it was important to note that further legal cases in relation to the Roscommon case were pending.
He outlined the HSE understood the anxieties expressed about this “sad and distressing” case and said it was “extremely complex”.
He explained the HSE was involved with the family concerned and that support continues.
The independent investigation into the events surrounding the Roscommon childcare case is expected to be completed within six months. The investigation team will be independently chaired by Norah Gibbons, director of advocacy with Barnardos.
In a statement Laverne McGuinness, HSE national director, primary, continuing and community care, said there was no doubt that these children have been let down badly by society.
“We – and all agencies - have to openly and honestly look at, with our current knowledge, what we did, examine the part we played and learn from that. We need to make sure that we do everything we can to ensure, in as much as is possible, that no other child has to face such an unspeakable tragedy ever again.”
