Zappone seeking international advice on Tuam site

Expert technical advice on the possible identification of children’s remains found near the former mother and babies home in Tuam, Co Galway will be sought, the Government has committed.

The “significant” remains were found during archaeological work conducted for the Commission on the Investigation of Mother and Baby Homes, and have been referred to the county coroner.

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone said she had secured Cabinet support for an inter-departmental group which will focus on sourcing "appropriate" technical expertise, both national and international.

The group, led by Ms Zappone’s department, will meet this Friday and will report back before the end of the month.

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The development has been welcomed by local historian Catherine Corless, whose tracing of records into the deaths of almost 800 babies and infants at the Tuam home run by the Bon Secours order from 1925 to 1961 led to the commission's excavation work last year.

Best practice

Ms Zappone said the aim of the expertise was to advise on options and best international practice in the event of a decision for a full excavation of the site.

The expertise was also required to explore the potential to identify the remains buried on the site, and what may be involved in undertaking DNA testing and whether it would produce results, she said.

Ms Zappone said this had been requested by Ms Corless, along with survivors and relatives of those who had been in the former home, when she and Minister for Housing Simon Coveney visited Tuam in early April.

She said she hoped the inter-departmental group would report back in the next couple of weeks, or “perhaps sooner”.

Ms Corless said Ms Zappone had “really kept her promise to the survivors to find a solution”.

Seeking DNA testing

She said that the survivors, including many more who had contacted her since the confirmation of remains in early March, were seeking full exhumation and full DNA testing.

Ms Corless said each of the names attached to 796 death certificates researched by her “had to be accounted for”, as it was “very possible” some of the certificates had been falsified to cover for adoptions.

No burial certificates or medical reports for the names had been found so far, but she believed the commission had been given “information” relating to adoptions.

Several other areas close to the home also required archaeological excavation, Ms Corless said.

She said the survivors were also hoping President Michael D Higgins would visit the site at some point to "stand in solidarity".

Survivors and relatives were suffering greatly, without any offer of State or Church counselling, since the commission had issued its interim report, she said.