The HSE has repeatedly warned the Government that underfunding of childcare services for separated children seeking asylum is placing them at risk of abuse, writes Carl O'Brien
While they represent a minority of asylum seekers, separated children who arrive in the country are among the most vulnerable group in State care.
About half of unaccompanied minors who arrive here are re-united with family members, although a significant number - 174 last year, 225 in 2003 - end up in the care of health authorities.
Unlike Irish children in care, unaccompanied minors live in a largely unsupervised world.
Older teenagers are typically placed in private hostels in the Dublin area which are not subject to inspection by the social services or standards for children's residential centres.
While allocated a social worker, underfunding of the services means they are effectively in the care of private hostel staff.
Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act show the HSE has repeatedly raised concerns over these standards and the risks for children who go missing from care.
An unpublished report compiled by the HSE (East Coast Area), where the majority of children are placed, raises serious concerns over their disappearance. While some are suspected to be trafficked here for prostitution or illegal employment, others may have been reunited with families who are not legally resident here.
"Both boys and girls have arrived here with histories of being placed in prostitution or other forms of illegal employment in their countries or origin, transit countries or here in Ireland," according to the report, compiled in February 2005.
"We cannot underestimate the vulnerability of this group of children in care."
HSE documents show it has been unhappy for some time over inappropriate care placements for separated minors and has been seeking an additional €7.3 million to reduce the risk of young people going missing.
It also reveals that there are not enough resources for officials to verify family reunifications to ensure that children are with their real parents.
In the face of requests from the HSE for additional resources as far back as 2001, documents suggest there has been a lukewarm response from the Department of Health. The concerns raised in this February report were communicated to the department, which said that while it was concerned at the reasons cited for the children's disappearance, it appeared they were "based on speculation rather than fact".
It also questioned whether HSE officials were following protocols requiring them to alert the Garda of any disappearances.
This prompted a stinging response from the HSE (East Coast Area) in March 2005, which said information on missing children was gleaned from the Garda National Immigration Bureau. On several occasions, children had been rescued from "desperate situations" by the bureau. "The most pressing issue in relation to the safety and welfare of this group is the continuing deficit of appropriate services, facilities and staff. Unfortunately, in the main, these requests have remained unanswered."
The department, which responded in April 2005, noted that additional resources were not available this year, but suggested that services could be enhanced with existing resources.
"In light of previous discussion on this issue, and in view of the fact that it is generally agreed that the number of unaccompanied minors are declining, it is a matter of concern to the department that the view being expressed suggests that services cannot be enhanced within existing resources."