Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 September 2018
24. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes has been able to give equal attention to the other 15 institutions; and her views on the need to examine the other 15 institutions. [37992/18]
View answerThe Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters is an independent statutory investigation. I am not therefore in a position to provide detailed progress updates on this work. Any available updates would be posted by the Commission directly to its website.
The Commission's terms of reference, attached as a schedule to Statutory Instrument No. 57 of 2015, task the Commission with examining a range of specific concerns in respect of 14 named institutions. The terms of reference also require the Commission to identify a representative sample of those County Homes which provided comparable services to unmarried mothers and their children. The Commission has selected 4 named County Homes for this purpose.
While there are significant variations in the respective scale and duration of the operation of the different institutions, the Commission is required to equally address all the specified matters of public concern in respect of each setting.
For ease of reference, the Mother and Baby Homes and the selected sample of County Homes are as follows:
(A) Mother and Baby Homes:
1. Ard Mhuire, Dunboyne, Co Meath;
2. Belmont (Flatlets), Belmont Ave, Dublin 4;
3. Bessboro House, Blackrock, Cork;
4. Bethany Home, originally Blackhall Place, Dublin 7 and from 1934 Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6;
5. Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home, Tuam, Co. Galway;
6. Denny House, Eglington Rd, Dublin 4, originally Magdalen Home, 8 Lower Leeson St, Dublin 2;
7.Kilrush, Cooraclare Rd, Co. Clare;
8. Manor House, Castlepollard, Co Westmeath;
9. Ms. Carr’s (Flatlets), 16 Northbrook Rd, Dublin 6;
10. Regina Coeli Hostel, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7,
11. Sean Ross Abbey, Roscrea, Co Tipperary;
12. St. Gerard’s, originally 39, Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1.
13. St. Patrick’s, Navan Road, Dublin 7, originally known as Pelletstown; and subsequent transfer to Eglington House, Eglington Rd, Dublin 4, and
14. The Castle, Newtowncunningham, Co. Donegal.
(B) County Homes
1. St. Kevin's Institution (Dublin Union)
2. Stranorlar County Home, Co. Donegal (St. Joseph's)
3. Cork City County Home (St. Finbarr's)
4. Thomastown County Home, Co. Kilkenny (St. Columba's).
