Ombudsman for Children suspends investigation into the handling of the Child Protection Audit.
Statement
Wednesday, 6th May 2009
Ombudsman for Children suspends investigation into the handling of the Child Protection Audit of the Catholic Church Dioceses by the HSE and the Department of Health
The Ombudsman for Children has said today (Wednesday) that she has suspended her investigation into the handling of the child protection Audit of Catholic Church Dioceses by the Health Services Executive and the Department of Health due to the failure by the HSE to genuinely cooperate with this process.
Since the investigation commenced four months ago, the HSE has failed to provide any of the documentation requested by the Ombudsman for Children. Despite a public statement and private assurances of its cooperation, the HSE has not engaged with the investigation by the Ombudsman for Children's Office. The Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs at the Department of Health has engaged with the investigation.
The HSE has also sought to bring the investigation into the legal arena by requesting that the Ombudsman for Children appoint a Senior Counsel to discuss the investigation with it's own Senior Counsel. As a non-judicial body the Ombudsman for Children refused to take this course of action and instead contacted the HSE seeking a meeting to resolve whatever difficulties the HSE may have.
The HSE did not respond to this request for a meeting. A further letter was sent by the Ombudsman for Children to the HSE questioning whether it was the intention of the HSE to cooperate with the investigation.
The Ombudsman for Children then received a letter from the HSE stating that a decision had been made to supply documents that were not subject to legal privelege.
The documentation that arrived at the Ombudsman for Children's Office from the HSE's solicitors was a photocopy of the document, published in full on 7 January 2009 by the Minister for Children, that triggered the Ombudsman for Children's investigation.
After careful consideration, the Ombudsman for Children has now deemed the HSE's actions as non-cooperation, and has written to both the HSE and the Department of Health informing them of her decision to suspend the investigation.