Clare County Council is expected to issue a formal apology today in respect of the former County Nursery in Kilrush.
The recent report of the Commission on Mother and Baby Homes found that dozens of children and infants died in the home in the 1920s and 30s, in conditions that were described as “an absolute disgrace” at the time.
The Mother and Baby Homes Commission examined 18 institutions in total, including the former County Clare Nursery in Kilrush.
It operated from 1923 to 1932, and in that time their report found that as many as 168 babies may have died there.
While the Kilrush home was first run by the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy and later by directly-employed lay staff, it was owned and financed by Clare County Council.
Already, Councils in Galway and Mayo have issued apologies in respect of their involvement in local homes, and today’s monthly meeting of Councillors here is expected to hear a formal apology, read out by Mayor of Clare Councillor Mary Howard, in respect of the home in Kilrush.
There have also been calls for a fitting memorial to be put in place in Kilrush, to remember those who lost their lives and others who were affected by the home.
Clare County Council will likely play a leading role in funding such a memorial, as the Commission recommended that local authorities should provide funding for such projects
