A TD has called for an examination of why the HSE sought to limit the scope of a forthcoming inquest into the deaths of three children killed by their mother six years ago.
Andrew McGinley's three children, nine-year-old Conor, seven-year-old Darragh and three-year-old Carla were killed by their mother, Deirdre Morley, at their home in Newcastle, Co Dublin, on 24 January 2020.
Morley, a former paediatric nurse, was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity in May 2021.
Dublin Mid-West TD Paul Gogarty said the scope of the inquest has been limited by the Coroner following correspondence with the HSE and a consultant at St Patrick's Mental Health Services.
Mr Gogarty said Mr McGinley, who was in the Dáil gallery this afternoon, has "fought tirelessly" to have the full circumstances leading up to his children's deaths properly investigated, and was seeking an unrestricted inquest.
Speaking during Leaders' Questions, the Independent TD told the Dáil: "I respect the independence of the Coroner's Court, but when the HSE asks for a limited scope, that request carries weight.
"If the effect is to restrict the facts that can be examined then the public is entitled to ask why.
"The Coroner's Act does prevent findings of civil or criminal liability, but the legislation doesn't prevent the Coroner from establishing plain facts, including whether protocols were followed, procedures failed or systemic gaps existed.
"Those factual findings are essential if we're serious of preventing more such tragedies."
He said he was asking for a clear commitment from the Taoiseach for further information to be brought into the public domain in relation to the case of the McGinley children, that may require widening the remit of coroners.
"It certainly requires an examination as to why the HSE sought to limit this inquest and whether that constitutes undue interference contrary to the public interest," he said.
"Families who lose loved ones in these horrific circumstances must be able to trust that every single, relevant fact will be examined, because transparency and accountability are about learning lessons," he said.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he would seek out why the HSE took the position to ask for the scope of the inquest to be limited.
He said he acknowledged that there are issues in relation to how, as a society, we deal with such events.
"It's not simple, it is very challenging, but we have an obligation to listen and then to act in the best way we can to try and meet the concerns of those who have lost their children in horrific and very traumatic circumstances.
"I'm open, and I know the ministers will be too, to engaging with Mr McGinley and others in terms of how we can move this forward," he said.
Mr Martin added that he would be speaking later to the HSE, as well as the health and justice ministers to get their perspectives.
"There clearly are issues here that I readily acknowledge, need to be pursued and those who have lost loved ones as a result of horrific events of this kind need to be listened to and heard," he added.
