DNA samples will be taken from people in the UK and US this month in a bid to identify remains found at the site of the former mother and baby institution in Tuam, Co Galway.
Members of the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT) have previously travelled to the UK to gather samples but are preparing to visit the US for the first time.
The team is due in New York state later this month to gather samples from potential relatives. Further trips to the US may happen in the future, should more people come forward.
More than 175 people in Ireland and abroad have contacted the ODAIT to date to inquire about providing a DNA sample. As of April 10th, samples had been taken from 33 possible relatives of people believed to be buried at the site in Tuam.
READ MORE
“We have received contacts from a wide variety of relatives,” a spokeswoman said.
The excavation of the site began last July and is expected to take at least two years. It is believed hundreds of children could be buried there.
The remains of at least 69 infants have been found to date. DNA samples are being collected from relatives to help identify any remains found.
Under the Institutional Burials Act 2022, a range of relatives can give DNA from the maternal and paternal side, including parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Minister for Children Norma Foley last week announced her intention to extend the pool of eligible relatives to include first cousins. A spokesman said Foley intended to “introduce the amendments to the Houses of Oireachtas at the earliest opportunity with a view to making the necessary amendments to the legislation this year”.
The Minister said she brought the proposals to Government on foot of updated advice from Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) that supports the inclusion of first cousins. Cabinet approved the proposal last Tuesday.
FSI’s recommendation to broaden the scope of the legislation “was based on scientific findings published since the enactment of the Act, and internal testing and validation of DNA profiling and database matching success”, a spokesman for the organisation said.
It selected a profiling method “designed for use with challenging, degraded DNA sources” and “carried out internal testing of this method using samples from volunteers from the Irish population”. This testing showed “robust matches were made for first cousins”, a statement said.
The ODAIT has welcomed the proposal to include first cousins in the pool of eligible relatives.
Anyone who believes they may have a relative buried at the Tuam site is encouraged to make contact.
