Vol. 525 No. 2
158 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has yet received the reports he requested from the Eastern Regional Health Authority regarding a 15 year old girl (details supplied) in care who went untraced for a month before her death from a drugs overdose; if so, the findings of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24551/00]
I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 119 of 12 October last. As set out in that reply, two reports were received from the South Western Area Health Board – the first on 25 August 2000 in response to an oral request made by a departmental official the previous day and the second on 1 September in response to a further request made on 28 August 2000. No reports are outstanding.
The Deputy will be aware that, against the background of this child's death, the High Court has initiated an inquiry into the circumstances under which she absconded from care and the efforts made to give effect to the court's order that the Garda, search for, detain and return her to the unit from which she absconded. In advance of this inquiry, copies of the reports provided by the South Western Area Health Board, together with a copy of a report received from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, are being forwarded to the solicitors acting for the family and they will be available to the High Court when the matter comes before it on 5 December next.
Accordingly, I do not propose to comment on the content of these reports at present.
