A timeline of events relating to the Roscommon Childcare Case
1989The first of the family's six children is born. A neighbour expresses concern about the parents' alcohol consumption, and alcohol being given to the baby.
1990The mother gives birth to a second child at home; she later explains to a public health nurse that she drank 11 vodkas the evening before the birth and had not realised she was in labour.
1994Following concerns over neglect, a "home management adviser" is allocated to assist with payment of rent arrears and late ESB payments. The family repeatedly fails to keep making these payments.
1995Some of the children are referred for speech and language therapy, but mostly the parents and children do not show up for appointments.
1996Serious concerns of neglect and emotional abuse are raised with social services after the birth of the family's fourth child.
Social workers express concern over the level of alcohol consumed by parents, as well as hygiene, with refuse building up outside the house.
The first of 11 case conferences begins, which results in health authorities providing periodic family support from home help, public health nurses and social workers.
1997There is general agreement that the family situation has improved but rent arrears continue to be an issue. It is reported that the children look well and are doing well at school.
1998Fresh concerns emerge over the children; one relates to a young child being sent to the town, one and a half miles away, to collect shopping including alcohol.
The home management adviser expresses “grave concerns” about child neglect, while a neighbour says the parents are drinking heavily.
The mother agrees to have a home help service come and work with her, but there is no record of this being followed up.
1999Evidence is mounting that the parents are not co-operating in a meaningful way with the health board. Social work visits are infrequent and "not adequate in light of the ongoing public concerns".
Fresh concerns are voiced by relatives regarding neglect, lack of hygiene and a 10-year-old being left to babysit five younger children aged from 10 months to nine years.
2000Further concerns are expressed by relatives over lack of heating, cooked food, hygiene, parents drinking heavily, children being taken to the pub, and children being sent to bed at 6.30pm. A neighbour also expresses further concerns.
Following mounting concern and numerous case conferences, the parents agree to “shared parenting” of the six children with relatives on a voluntary basis. Within days, the parents secure a High Court order restraining the health board from placing the children in care.
2001A social worker expresses frustration at the case being "allowed to drift" and a lack of urgency in dealing with the neglect of the children.
Health authorities unsuccessfully seek to have the restraining order lifted. The High Court rules that it should remain in place until a District Court judge makes a childcare order. The mother tells social workers and home helps that major improvements have been made in the level of their care, such as better hygiene in the house, etc.
2004The eldest boy is taken into care after disclosing details of neglect and sexual abuse to a social worker.
All children are later taken into care. They disclose the scale of abuse and neglect they have suffered to social workers. Gardaí officially begin their investigation.
2005The eldest son gives a statement to gardaí detailing abuse and neglect in the family home.
2006One of the children discloses to gardaí for the first time that he has been the victim of incest involving his mother, after his older brother left the family home in 2004.
The mother is arrested by gardaí and later admits to abuse and neglect of her children, as well as incest and sexual assault of her second eldest boy.
2009The mother is sentenced to seven years in prison for the abuse and pleads guilty to incest, sexual assault and abuse of her children.
2010The father is sentenced to 14 years in prison – with 18 months suspended – on 47 counts of rape and sexual assault.