Social Affairs

Tuam excavation: ‘It’s a great relief that we’ve come to this,’ Catherine Corless says

An investigation concluded that 978 children had died at the former mother and baby home

Catherine Corless speaking during the Tuam Mother and Baby Home ceremony in 2019. Photograph: Joe O'Shaughnessy
Catherine Corless speaking during the Tuam Mother and Baby Home ceremony in 2019. Photograph: Joe O'Shaughnessy
Wed Jul 27 2022 - 13:29

Historian and campaigner Catherine Corless has expressed “great relief” about the memo being brought before Cabinet on Tuesday to establish the body that will oversee the excavation of remains at the Tuam mother and baby home.

“It’s a great relief that we’ve come to this,” she said on Newstalk Breakfast.

Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman is bringing a memo in relation to the excavation of remains at the site of the former mother and baby home in Tuam before Cabinet on Tuesday.

It seeks approval to establish the office of director of authorised intervention on Tuam. This is the agency that will oversee the work on the site.

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It is understood the total cost is €15 million, minus €2.5 million already received from the Bon Secours sisters.

[ Excavation at former Tuam mother and baby home to be one of ‘most complex’ ever ]

[ State apology: Taoiseach’s full statement on Mother and Baby Homes ]

Ms Corless was the driving force behind the campaign for the establishment of such a body. She said it had been heartache for the families knowing that the remains of their loved ones had been “lying in sewerage”.

However, she admitted to some trepidation about how the excavation will proceed. “Will they do it properly?” she asked.

Ms Corless welcomed the fact that families will be part of the board overseeing the project, and will be fully informed as it proceeds.

The issue had been covered up for so long, it was now a relief for families, she said.

Following the work of Ms Corless, the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes concluded last year that 978 children had died at the Tuam home.

Ms Corless said she had always believed the Government would “do the right thing eventually”.

[ Catherine Corless honoured by Red Cross for her work on Tuam babies ]

[ Mother and baby homes: Commission finds that 978 children died at Tuam facility ]

Ms Corless said the excavation of the site will be carried out in phases so it will not disrupt residents.

“It will be done properly with their co-operation,” she said.

After Cabinet approval, a resolution will need to be passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas to set up the agency. Before then, there will be work in the department to establish the office and perform environmental assessments of the site.

Mr O’Gorman said earlier this year the excavation at the site of the former Tuam mother and baby home will be “one of the most complex forensic excavation and recovery efforts” undertaken “anywhere in the world”.

The Minister said the excavation would involve a DNA identification process “on a scale never done before” in Ireland.