Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 September 2022
403. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the efforts that his Department has made to identify the burial places of approximately 850 children known to have died in Bessborough Mother and Baby Home in Cork but the locations of their remains are unknown. [45527/22]
View answerThe investigation of burial arrangements in Mother and Baby Homes, including the former institution in Bessborough, was an important part of the work of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters. The Fifth Interim Report report noted that, despite extensive inquiries and searches, the Commission was only able to identify the burial places of 64 of children who died while resident in Bessborough. In the Final Report, the Commission further noted that it spent considerable time and resources to establish burials places of more than 1,400 children and infants who died in Bessborough Home and Sacred Heart Maternity Hospital or the Cork County Home and St Finnbarr's Hospital; however, it was only able to locate the burial places of 101 infants who died in one or other of these institutions.
The Commission also concluded that it is likely that some of the children who died at Bessborough are buried in the grounds but was unable to find any physical or documentary evidence of this. The Commission carried out cartographic and landscape assessments of possible unrecorded burial arrangements and also followed up with people on responses to its appeal seeking information about burials in Bessborough. As no evidence of locations was found, the Commission did not consider it feasible to excavate the full available site, which amounts to 60 acres.
The Institutional Burials Act 2022, which came into effect on 15th July last, provides the underlying legislative basis for an intervention, whereby the remains of those who died in residential institutions, and who were buried in a manifestly inappropriate manner, may be recovered and re-interred in a respectful and appropriate way. The legislation was developed in response to the abhorrent situation at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, Co. Galway. To avoid delays in responding to any similar situations that may arise in the future, the Act is not site specific and also allows for interventions at other institutional sites should manifestly inappropriate burials be discovered.
I am very conscious of the distress felt by families regarding the death of relatives who were resident in the institution in Bessborough and the uncertainty regarding their burial places. However, it is not open to the Government, and by extension to my Department, to procure or carry out investigations at the Bessborough site.
I have emphasised that adequate consideration should be given to the findings of the Commission and the views of survivors and family members in the context of the proposed development of Bessborough site. Last year I made submissions to An Bord Pleanála and Cork City Council as part of the normal planning process, in respect of two planning applications made, requesting that due consideration be given to the sensitivity of the site and the conclusion of the Commission's reports.
I will continue highlight the importance of appropriate treatment of sites associated with Mother and Baby homes and promote engagement with survivors, former residents and family members.
