Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 October 2017
602. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the location of the records for St. Patrick's mother and baby home, Navan Road, of births, deaths, procedural matters, State involvement and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42605/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra603. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the location of the burial of the babies who died at St. Patrick's mother and baby home, Navan Road; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42606/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 602 and 603 together.
As I have previously stated to the Deputy, my Department does not hold any records from the institution known as St. Patrick's Mother and Baby Home. A cohort of files from this former institution are held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and may be accessed by relevant parties through their Information and Tracing Services. In relation to birth and death records from St. Patrick's, the General Register Office is the central civil repository for records relating to births and deaths in Ireland.
As the Deputy may be aware, St. Patrick's Mother and Baby Home is one of the institutions currently being investigated by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters. The Commission is required to address seven specific areas which include areas that the Deputy has raised. As part of its terms of reference, the Commission is directed to investigate and to make a report on burial arrangements in respect of persons who were resident in these institutions. In the course of investigating these matters, the Commission will identify the sources of information and records most relevant to these issues.
