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Tragic family had debt in Buncrana
14.05.09
A REPORT into the
tragic deaths of a young Burt woman and her family
two years ago has criticised the lack of an
out-of-hours social work service for children at
risk.
And while the inquiry into the deaths of 24-year old
Ciara Dunne (nee O'Brien), her husband Adrian Dunne
(29) and their daughters Leanne (5) and Shania (3)
did not find any single motive behind the deaths, it
pointed to growing financial problems and the
suicide, a month earlier, of Adrian Dunne's brother
as potential factors. The couple were in debt in the
region of around €34,400. They owed money to banks
and credit unions in Buncrana, Letterkenny and New
Ross, as well as to businesses, utility companies
and individuals, the report found. “From the early
stages of their relationship they borrowed more than
they could repay,” the report found. “Both were
registered in ‘Stubbs Gazette’.” |
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The young family were
found dead at their home in Monageer, Co Wexford, in
April 2007. The couple had come to the attention of
Gardaí and social workers when they made funeral
arrangements for themselves and their two children
shortly before their deaths.
However, the report concludes that even if Gardaí or
social services had called |
to the Dunne family
home during the weekend they died, it is unlikely
the tragedy could have been averted. According to
the report, Mr Dunne took his own life, while his
wife was strangled and the children died of
asphyxia.
It concludes Mr Dunne was the “driving force” behind
the planning and execution of the deaths and no
third-party was involved.
The inquiry team also found that the State’s failure
to provide an out-of-hours social work service to
ensure a response to all serious child protection
and welfare concerns was a “fundamental problem”.
It highlighted “disjointed” communication within the
Health Service Executive, which would have helped
identify the family as being in need of support at
an earlier stage.
Gardaí should have considered contacting Mr Dunne’s
family to advise them of his visit to an undertaker
before the deaths, the report says. But it also says
it was unlikely the tragedy could have been averted,
given Adrian and Ciara Dunne’s capacity to provide a
plausible explanation for their “bizarre” funeral
plans.
The long-awaited report publishes 26
recommendations, including the introduction of a
national out-of-hours social work service and better
co-operation between agencies. Seven of the
recommendations, as well as large sections of the
report, were blacked out for legal reasons, as the
inquiry was non-statutory.
Children's Minister Barry Andrews said a new
emergency foster care system to be introduced next
month would form the “building blocks” of an
out-of-hours response. A €15 million plan to
establish a comprehensive out-of-hours service had
been dropped last year as it was not the “best use
of funding”.
Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy said he accepted
the report’s findings and was committed to ensuring
the safety and protection of children.
"The findings of this report will be utilised to
refine our practices and procedures to complement
the ‘Children First’ guidelines, which provide the
essential framework for the work of An Garda
Siochana and the Health Service Executive in dealing
with the sensitive area of child safety," said Mr
Murphy.
*The Goverment yesterday announced a new
out-of-hours service for children at risk to be
introduced from next month. The service will involve
Gardaí and the HSE providing a place of safety
outside officer hours for children at risk. The move
was outlined in the Dáil yesterday by Taoiseach
Brian Cowen but is not a full national out-of-hour's
social work service as recommended in the report
into the Monageer tragedy. |
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