Louth TD welcomes child death review plans

An examination of child deaths arising from violent, abusive and neglectful domestic circumstances should help identify shortcomings in the support of vulnerable children, Louth Fine Gael TD Paula Butterly has said.

In response to a Parliamentary Question submitted by Deputy Butterly, the Minister for Justice confirmed that his department is developing a Domestic Homicide Review model for Ireland.

The proposed review mechanism will seek to identify the circumstances surrounding deaths linked to domestic and family violence, examine how agencies responded, and make recommendations to strengthen protections for those at risk.

Deputy Butterly explained: "Every child who loses their life in a violent or abusive domestic incident represents an unimaginable tragedy. It is vital that we fully understand the circumstances surrounding these deaths so that lessons can be learned and future tragedies prevented.”

The scope of the review process is expected to include cases where children have died through violence, abuse, or neglect by a relative, as well as children killed during incidents of domestic or family violence by persons outside the family.

Deputy Butterly welcomed this development, stating: "The inclusion of child deaths within the Domestic Homicide Review framework is a significant step forward, and something that has been called for by the Fine Gael Women’s Network.

“By carefully examining these cases, we can identify shortcomings, improve coordination between agencies and ensure that vulnerable children and families receive the protection they need."

The Minister also confirmed that the Department of Justice is working closely with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality regarding the Child Death Review process, with both mechanisms aimed at improving policy, practice and inter-agency responses to better safeguard children in the future.

"Families affected by these devastating tragedies have shown immense courage in sharing their experiences. We owe it to them, and to the children whose lives have been lost, to ensure that every possible lesson is learned and acted upon."

"These reforms represent important progress in strengthening protections for children and families impacted by domestic violence. I will continue to support efforts that improve accountability, enhance agency cooperation and, ultimately, help prevent future loss of life,” Deputy Butterly concluded.