THE HEALTH Service Executive (HSE) says it has "only very recently" received a copy of an independent report into the death after four years in State care of Dublin teenager Tracey Fay.
The damning report into the death of the 18-year-old, who took a fatal drugs overdose in 2002, found that, instead of providing her with stable accommodation, her local health authority provided a "chaotic" response, including 20 different BBs, hospital beds, a bench in AE and two different dedicated services.
There were also several "missed opportunities" to provide her with therapeutic services.
After details of the report's findings were published in The Irish Times, the HSE said yesterday it had only recently received the completed report and its recommendations were now being considered.
The report contains some 50 recommendations.
"Until the recommendations are fully considered and an appropriate action plan is in place, no decision will be taken on the publication of this report," it said. "The HSE is currently examining the most appropriate method of communicating the findings from this report to the various relevant departments/interested bodies."
The report was commissioned by the former Eastern Regional Health Authority, which preceded the HSE, shortly after Ms Fay's death in 2002.
Government sources said Mr Justice Frederick Morris was originally appointed to review the case, but had to leave after being appointed to chair the Morris tribunal. Another judge was asked to review the case, but it was never completed as a result of health problems. An independent childcare expert completed the review, Government sources said.
Yesterday, amid calls for the report to be immediately published, Barnardos director of advocacy Norah Gibbons said she feared the same fate could befall other young people in HSE care.
She said anybody would be shocked at what happened to Ms Fay after she was placed in health board care by her mother at the age of 14. "One of the things that is absolutely essential for children is that they have continuity of care and a structure . . . and yet this young person had 20 different BBs," she said.
She fully acknowledged the difficulties troubled young people posed, but the system was failing Ms Fay by not even organising professional assessments for her within a reasonable time frame.
She also questioned why it took so long for a report to be completed and said Barnardos would like to see the report published.
Alan Shatter, Fine Gael's spokesman on children, said the report highlighted yet another failure within our child protection services. "It starkly illustrates the failure of the relevant health board at the time to apply the 1999 Children First child protection guidelines and yet again confirms the lack of transparency in the workings of our child protection services," he said.
Calling on Minister for Children Barry Andrews to immediately publish the report, Mr Shatter said: "It shouldn't have taken over six years since the tragic death of this young girl for the details of her death and the inadequacy of the health board services provided to her to become known."
A spokeswoman for Mr Andrews said he had not received the report and so could not comment on it.