The State will do everything humanly possible to provide legislation and facilities to protect children in its care, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said.
He was responding to the latest revelations about the deaths of children in the care of the HSE.
Mr Kenny said Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald was establishing a dedicated child protection and family support agency which would provide a stronger and more comprehensive system to identify concerns at an early stage.
He added that he would like to be able to say that a situation could be reached where no other child would pass away in the State's care.
"I cannot do that, obviously," he added.
However, HSE reports were now published setting out the situation to date.
Mr Kenny was replying in the Dail this afternoon to Mary Lou McDonald (SF) who said information had come into the public domain of a further 35 deaths of children in the HSE care since March 2010.
"These children, who were in the care of the State, died from a range of causes including suicide, drug overdose and medical issues," she added.
Ms McDonald said the figures represented a "most monumental failure" by the State, which continued to fail young people and their families.