The Southern Health Board yesterday defended its handling of an investigation into the activities of a taxi-driver convicted of abusing minors.
The board has been criticised by the family of a severely handicapped girl who was transported by the taxi-driver.
According to an SHB statement, a complaint was made by a minor to the Garda on September 26th, 1997, that he was sexually abused by the taxi-driver, and the Garda alerted the board to the allegation three days later.
The SHB immediately notified the taxi company with which it had a contract to transport children and adults with special needs, and the taxi-driver was immediately removed from his duties, the SHB statement said.
"At the behest of the board, the man's licence to drive a taxi was revoked by the gardai on 3 October 1997 - four days later," said the SHB statement, adding that the board had opened an inquiry.
The inquiry assisted the Garda's investigation which resulted in the taxi-driver's subsequent conviction in April 1999, not 1998 as the SHB had stated in its letter to the family of the profoundly handicapped girl it had contacted.
In May 1999 an independent care agency asked the SHB to investigate any cases where the board had contracted the same taxi service to bring children and adults to that care agency's premises, said the SHB statement.
The board then started an extensive inquiry headed by a senior social worker, and eight letters were issued to families on December 29th, offering them a meeting with SHB and care-agency representatives.
The SHB said the letter was regrettably issued a day earlier than intended, but the board was open for business to meet families had they wished to contact someone to discuss any concerns.