An inspection of a Co. Kerry residential care home found that the boys living there were regularly leaving the centre to take drugs.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) found that the centre did not have the capacity to safely manage the high-risk behaviours of the boys there, leaving them at risk.

This report concerns a State-run residential care home on the outskirts of a busy Kerry town.

While the centre had capacity for up to five children between 13 and 18, at the time of the inspection by the health watchdog last July, just three boys were living there - due to staffing levels.

The aim of the centre was to provide a safe and comforting environment for children but a HIQA inspector found that each of the residents was using illegal substances.

She found that the children had returned to the centre on many occasions under the influence of drugs - and that they would often leave late at night and not return for hours.

Last May, one child was seriously injured in an incident outside the centre.

The Child and Family Agency Tusla says it's accepted the findings of the report- and that a number of improvements have been made since the inspection.

However HIQA has refused to publish the agency's action plan - which it would normally do, because they were not satisfied with Tusla's response to the concerns raised.