Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 October 2022
285. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will reconsider his position to set up a database to hold DNA samples of family members of those who were resident at St. Mary's Mother and Baby home in Tuam. [52479/22]
View answerThe Institutional Burials Act 2022, which came into effect on 15 July last, provides the underlying legislative basis for an intervention, whereby the remains of those who died and were buried in a manifestly inappropriate manner, may be recovered and re-interred in a respectful and appropriate way. It also provides for the identification of remains and their return to family members, where possible.
The Act allows the Government, by Order, to direct an intervention at a particular site where the criteria for manifestly inappropriate burials are met and to approve the appointment of a Director of Authorised Intervention to oversee and manage a phased, step-by-step approach to the excavation, recovery, analysis, identification (if possible) and re-interment of the remains.
On 4 October, the Government made an order under the Act to establish an independent Office to lead an intervention at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam, Co. Galway. The making of the Order follows on from Resolutions in the Dáil and Seanad last month approving the draft Order that was agreed by Government in July.
The Government order specifies that the functions of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam will include carrying out a DNA Identification Programme, which involves taking DNA samples from eligible family members and human remains buried at a site and analysis of those samples by Forensic Science Ireland. The purpose of the analysis is to compare DNA profiles to establish if there is a familial link between people who believe they have family members buried at the site and the human remains that are recovered.
The Act defines an eligible family member as a person who has reasonable grounds to believe that he/she is a child, parent, sibling, half-sibling, grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew (whether of the whole blood or the half-blood), grandniece or grandnephew of the person who is buried at an intervention site.
The Act provides that Forensic Science Ireland can establish the Databases that will allow for DNA profile comparison.
I intend to appoint a Director to head up the Office as soon as possible. Arrangements for the recruitment of a Director to head up the Office are currently being finalised and my officials are liaising with the Public Appointments Service in this regard. It is expected that once the post is advertised, the appointment of a Director will take a number of weeks. When appointed, the Director will make arrangements for a public information campaign to promote awareness of the Identification Programme, including how family members can notify the Director of his or her interest in participating in the Programme, in line with the provisions of the Act.
