The HSE has issued an “unreserved and unequivocal” apology to the children and young people of the family in the Roscommon Child Care Case.
It admitted the authorities had failed to protect the young siblings from harm and neglect by their parents.
The HSE said it accepts in full the recommendations of an inquiry team that examined the case and identified clear service failures by the then Western Health Board up until the time the children were taken into care.
In a statement this evening the executive admitted important child protection concerns were not addressed adequately and that, as a consequence, “harm and neglect of the children and young adults in this family continued”.
As result of the issues highlighted by the inquiry team, the HSE said it plans to issue professional practice guidelines to ensure children’s concerns are addressed.
The report into the case says a number of the children are in secure and caring foster homes while other children, now young adults, are living with relatives.
The HSE apology follows a High Court ruling that the report into the case be published. Some of the children were against the report being published.
Minister for Children Barry Andrews offered his "sincere apology" to the children for the "failure of State services to respond properly to their needs".
He said he would study the report and recommendations closely over the coming days and it was his intention to meet the executive to see how it proposed to implement the recommendations