HEALTH SERVICE Executive (HSE) managers were planning not to publish highly critical reports into the deaths of two teenagers who died in State care, internal records show.
The executive commissioned reports into the deaths of Tracey Fay (18) and David Foley (17) following concern over the level of care and support made available to them while in the care system.
The reports published earlier this year disclosed a litany of failures by social work and child protection services, including “inexcusable” delays in providing essential services, chaotic case management and systemic failures.
However, internal records show that last year HSE managers were not planning to publish the reports due to a combination of legal reasons and other obstacles.
A letter from a senior HSE manager to Minister for Children Barry Andrews in April 2009 states that there were “no plans” to publish the report into David Foley’s death. It added “it was never envisaged that the report in its entirety would be published”.
In relation to the Tracey Fay report, HSE letters in March and April of 2009 state that the report would not be published on foot of legal advice. It says the contents of the report would disclose too much personal information in respect of her children and “individuals involved in her care”.
The letters also state that the HSE had launched an “urgent investigation” into how the contents of the confidential Tracey Fay report had appeared in a national newspaper. This included a examination of its computer systems, as well as a more detailed investigation by its internal audit department.
The contents of the report were first published in The Irish Timesin January 2009. The report itself was laid before the Oireachtas by Fine Gael's spokesman on children Alan Shatter TD in March 2010.
Following meetings with Mr Andrews, whose officials stressed the need to publish the report, the HSE appeared to agree to put edited versions of the reports into the public domain. However, records indicate that by February 2010 the Minister was frustrated by the slow progress in doing so.
A record of a meeting with HSE officials states: “Minister Andrews reiterated his dissatisfaction with the delays in finalising reports and the quality of the output to date . . . the HSE noted there had been unforeseen difficulties in arranging contacts with key family members.”
When the executive published two edited versions of the reports in April this year, it said its decision was part of its policy of “full disclosure.” It said the case reviews were not intended for publication and were carried out to establish the facts.
The HSE said any future reviews of deaths of children in care would be carried out in accordance with new guidance published by the Health Information and Quality Authority.
However, Mr Shatter has insisted the HSE was seeking to suppress the “grotesque failures” of the care system. The only reason the reports were eventually published was due to political and media pressure, he said.