The Mid-Western Health Board is reviewing all aspects of the care it gave a teenage boy who killed himself while under the supervision of a childcare worker.
The 16-year-old was receiving residential treatment in Limerick and was on a supervised family visit when he hanged himself in the back garden of his Co Tipperary home.
He had been left alone with family members for a time before the death. It is understood the boy had been due to appear in a juvenile court on a criminal charge.
Mr Ger Crowley, the health board's assistant CEO, said all aspects of the care provided by board staff and other agencies for the teenager were being reviewed.
It is believed the youth was being treated for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
"It is not possible to comment further on this tragic matter due to the need to protect the privacy of the family," Mr Crowley said.
The president of the Irish Association of Suicidology, Mr Dan Neville, who is also a Fine Gael TD for Limerick West, said that while he was not blaming any individual for the death, he was questioning how the person could fall into such despair while in health board care.
"I am writing to the chief executive officer of the Mid-Western Health board asking for details of the circumstances surrounding his death," he said.
He added that he was concerned about the discharge of suicidal patients from psychiatric services. A treatment programme should be in place for people who are suicidal or "who express any kind of suicide ideation," said Mr Neville. "I sometimes feel that if someone attempts suicide, it is considered more a nuisance than a matter of someone being seriously ill."
The president of the Irish Association of Care Workers, Mr Paul Bailey, said leaving the youth alone with his family was normal practice, to allow them time to bond. "I think it just highlights the vulnerable nature of the children we are dealing with and how complex the care task is," he said.
The care workers sector was facing a scenario similar to that of junior doctors, of long hours and low pay. "There is a huge question of lack of resources," said Mr Bailey.
The Mid-Western Health Board has about 400 children in its care at any one time, about 25 of whom are in full-time residential care.