Mary Harney attended only one formal child-protection meeting since the controversy about deaths of children in state care erupted last March (2009).

Asked about whether Ms Harney should have used her powers as a senior minister to put pressure to provide more timely information about deaths of children in state care; Mr Cowen, Ireland's Taoiseach, said it was not possible to give a direction which was contrary to the law. "There are legal problems which need to be addressed," he said.