A report on vaccine trials carried out in children's homes up to 40 years ago is likely to be referred to the Laffoy Commission on Child Abuse and to an Oireachtas committee next week, despite Fine Gael opposition.
The report, which will be published today, questions whether appropriate consent was given by the parents or guardians of the children in the trials, and whether legal requirements for the importation of the vaccines were complied with. Some 211 children were involved, 123 of whom were residents of children's homes. The trials took place between the early 1960s and 1973 in children's homes and mother and baby homes. Most of the institutions were in Dublin.
Full details of the report were published in The Irish Times last March, following which the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, promised publication within weeks. However today's publication follows a six-month delay.
The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, and the main Opposition spokespersons on health will make statements on the report in the Dail today. Mr Martin will then put a motion to the Dail next Tuesday to refer the report to the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children for debate and discussion. He will also indicate today his intention to refer the matter to the Laffoy commission.
However, Fine Gael's health spokesman, Mr Gay Mitchell, last night demanded the Oireachtas committee be allowed decide to hold hearings on the matter, should it wish to.
"The terms of reference of the Laffoy commission deal with physical and sexual abuse," he said. "In fairness to the people involved in carrying out these trials, sending the issue to that commission is not the right thing to do."
By giving the Oireachtas committee powers to compel witnesses to attend, the issue could be examined speedily, ensuring all involved got to explain their roles as quickly as possible, he said. "If the Oireachtas committee then decides to refer it elsewhere, let them do that, but parliamentarians should be entitled to examine the matter."
However, Labour's health spokeswoman, Ms Liz McManus, said last night her party would support the Government plan.
"It is important to make clear that this is not on a par with sexual and physical abuse," she said. "But it is an issue concerning how children in institutions were dealt with and this is why it is being referred to the Laffoy commission."