The Kelly Fitzgerald abuse case has been one of the most horrific in the history of the State. The 15 year old died of blood poisoning in a London hospital in 1993.
She had first come to the attention of the health services at the age of five months when she was taken there as an emaciated and dehydrated infant. In May 1989, at the age of 11, Kelly was placed on an "at risk" register because she was considered by the UK authorities to be at risk of emotional deprivation and abuse and, at times, extreme mental cruelty from her parents.
She went to live with her maternal grandparents, and there was a marked improvement in her physical and mental condition. Her plight was still being investigated when her family moved to a small farm in County Mayo. Kelly remained in London with her grandparents.
In December 1990, West Lambeth Health Authority sent its child health files to the Western Health Board. It also notified the health board in writing of its involvement with the family and outlined concerns for another child in the Fitzgerald family.
After a two weeks holiday in 1992 with her parents, Kelly sought to move from London to live in Mayo. She made the move to Mayo to live again with her parents with whom she had not shared a home for three years. Kelly died in suspicious circumstances five months later.
After her death an inquiry was set up by the Western Health board although asking the health board to establish an independent inquiry, given that it was the body responsible for Kelly Fitzgerald's welfare, was not appropriate. Inquiries such as this should be undertaken by an independent national child care inspectorate.
The Kelly Fitzgerald inquiry was completed five months ago but has never been officially published. Quotes from the report are carried in today's Irish Independent. Based on the newspaper reports, there appear to have been serious flaws in the manner in which the Western Health Board dealt with the Kelly Fitzgerald case. However, given that only a very small element of the 235-page report is carried in the newspaper, I will reserve judgment on the findings until I have read the full report.
The purpose of this Adjournment is to ask the Minister for Health to explain a number of serious matters in his handling of the case. Will the Minister explain why he has not requested a copy of the Kelly Fitzgerald report, even though it was completed five months ago. On 8 February at Question Time in the House I called on the Minister for Health, Deputy Noonan, to immediately seek publication of the findings of the report. I was told at that stage that the Minister, the Minister of State or their officials had not seen the report. Why did they not move at that stage given that there was such public concern at the delays?
Up to today neither the Minister, Deputy Noonan, who has responsibility for health boards, nor the Minister of State, Deputy Currie, who has responsibility for children, had requested a copy of the report from the Western Health Board. This represents a dereliction of duty and it reinforces my view that all the comments from these two Ministers about their concern for children are hollow.
The Kelly Fitzgerald report is just one of a series of child abuse that have not been published. The findings of at least two other child abuse investigations remain hidden. The findings of these investigations are in the public interest and must be disclosed. If the reports were published, valuable lessons would be learned and a repeat of the tragic Kelly Fitzgerald case might be avoided.
I remain of the view that until mandatory reporting of child abuse allegation is introduced, procedures and practices in health boards and other agencies will not improve, and we will not have secure consistency in the management of the disclosure of child abuse. I regard the position paper on child abuse published by the Minister of State, Deputy Currie, as nothing more than a stalling tactic. The document itself appears to offer reasons for not introducing mandatory reporting.
The signals from the Government on the issue of mandatory reporting are most confusing. The Minister for Health, Deputy Noonan, said one thing, the Minister for Education, Deputy Bhreathnach said another, while the Minister of State, Deputy Currie, said many things, none of which is consistent. His lastest remarks relate to his refusal to establish an independent national child care inspectorate on the basis that his weekly meetings with civil servants have rendered it unnecessary. I find that a most unusual and implausible reason.
