A two year old boy who was removed from his Roma family in Athlone yesterday has since been reunited with them.
Gardaí placed the boy in HSE care yesterday evening and carried out a full line of inquiry to determine his identity. He has now been returned to the family and Gardai say they are satisfied he is with his biological parents.
It comes as a 7 year old girl remains in HSE care after being removed from a Roma family in Dublin on Monday. DNA tests are expected later today to confirm the girl's identity. Her parents insist she is their biological daughter and volunteered the DNA samples.
Security Editor with the Irish Independent, Tom Brady, says there is proof the woman gave birth to a girl on the date she specifies:
The head of the European Roma Rights Centre says the Roma community is frustrated and uncomfortable with the coverage of the case. Dezideriu Gergely of the ERRC says assumptions are being made about the Roma community based on criminality and on physical appearance.
Martin Collins from the Travellers and Roma group Pavee Point says people shouldn't be jumping to conclusions and assumptions:
