AN ORGANISATION to investigate the death of children who die from violence, neglect or by accident is a necessity, the Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan, has said.
A seminar later this morning will examine how such a child death review could be set up. Two years ago the UN criticised Ireland for not having such a body in place.
It could examine tragedies similar to that of the Flood family at the weekend which led to the deaths of two children in a house fire in Co Wexford.
The seminar at Dublin Castle is a direct result of the deaths of the Dunne family in Monageer, also in Co Wexford, last year.
Concerns were expressed that those deaths could have been prevented had the authorities acted more quickly, especially when it emerged three days before their bodies were found that the Dunnes visited a funeral director to make funeral arrangements.
The provision of social services was also called into question when it emerged that Sharon Grace, who drowned herself and her two children three years ago, had sought help when she reported to Wexford's Ely Hospital in April 2005, but was told there was nobody on duty.
The initiative for a child death review came from the office of the Ombudsman for Children following the Dunne tragedy.
Ms Logan said there is a need for a review of every child death, particularly where there are protection issues involved. Such a child review mechanism has just been introduced in England.
