The human remains of a significant number of babies and young children have been found at the site of a former mother and baby home in County Galway.
The Mother and Baby Homes Commission says during recent excavations at the Tuam site, it discovered “significant quantities” of human remains in at least 17 of 20 underground chambers that were intended to be part of a sewage system.
A sample of the remains were removed for analysis – all were aged from 35 foetal weeks to 2-3 years of age.
And radiocarbon dating suggest they are likely to be from the 1950’s – the Tuam mother and baby home operated from 1925 to 1961.
Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone says it’s very disturbing, confirming worst suspicions, and she promises an appropriate and respectful response by authorities now.
Sinn Féin’s Donnacha O’Laoghaire says this is an indictment of Ireland at the time and a national scandal.
He’s to ask the children’s committee to invite the commission chair to come before it to ensure her terms of reference are adequate to investigate all of this in Tuam and other locations.
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