The Department of Children has defended the investigative work carried out by the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation at Bessborough, according to an official response issued following renewed calls for a fresh forensic investigation of the site where an estimated 923 babies died between the 1920s and 1990s.
The Department’s defense comes in response to concerns raised by former Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone. In a submission made to An Coimisiún Pleanála last April, Ms Zappone questioned whether the Commission had done enough to identify burial locations at Bessborough. She stated that while the Commission made “modest efforts” to locate burial grounds at Bessborough, these “were not sufficient or similar to the efforts made at Tuam.”
Department Response to Investigation Methods and the Institutional Burials Act 2022
Ms Zappone’s submission raised specific concerns that the Commission did not request its lead forensic archaeologist to carry out Ground Penetrating Radar surveys at Bessborough, similar to techniques utilized at Tuam. She also questioned the reliance on monitoring by forensic archaeologists during construction works, suggesting that excavation by builders could permanently destroy human remains and eliminate future DNA identification. Furthermore, she pointed out that the Institutional Burials Act 2022 was specifically intended to provide for investigations at other mother and baby home sites where potential burial grounds remained unidentified.
In response, a Department spokesperson pointed to the Commission of Investigation’s 2019 interim report, which featured details on efforts to locate possible unrecorded burial arrangements at Bessborough through cartographic and landscape assessments alongside a site survey. According to the spokesperson, the Commission stated at the time that it found no physical or documentary evidence of systematic burials within the grounds, though it considered it highly likely that burials took place there. The spokesperson added that the Commission was unable to find evidence of burials of children who died there and did not consider it feasible to excavate the full 60 acres involved, or the rest of the 200-acre estate on which extensive building work has occurred since the institution closed.
Regarding the legislation, the Department stated that the Institutional Burials Act 2022 “is not site specific and provides for interventions at other institutional sites where manifestly inappropriate burials have taken place.” The spokesperson explained that a Director can be appointed under the legislation to excavate and recover remains where the Government is satisfied that burials have taken place and has evidence that those burials are manifestly inappropriate. “In the case of Bessborough, the location of burials is sadly unknown,” the Department response noted.
Did You Know? It is estimated that 923 babies died at the Bessborough Mother and Baby home between the 1920s and 1990s, alongside a number of mothers.
Calls for Archive Release and Site Acquisition by Cork City Council
Patricia Carey, the Special Advocate for Survivors of Institutional Abuse, noted yesterday that Ms Zappone’s intervention showed that even the former minister responsible for overseeing the Commission believed more could have been done. Ms Carey urged the Government to release technical reports and documentation relating to burial investigations, and accused Minister for Children Norma Foley of refusing to produce either the Index to the Mother and Baby Home Commission of Investigation Archive or records contained in that archive relating to burial ground investigations.
In response, the Department spokesperson stated that legal advice confirmed the Government had no legal authority to disclose materials not included in the Commission’s published reports and “is bound not to disclose them.” In a statement issued yesterday, Ms Carey supported calls for Cork City Council to acquire the site through a Compulsory Purchase Order and to engage with survivors on future memorialisation and dignified burial arrangements. The Department pointed out that the Taoiseach had asked Cork City Council to engage with landowners at Bessborough to explore “all options for the future of the site,” noting that the process is ongoing.
National Centre for Remembrance and State Investment
State officials have emphasized broader efforts to address Ireland’s institutional past through the development of the National Centre for Remembrance, where investment by the state is in excess of €100m. The Department stated that “important work” is underway and that “it is essential that the views and voices of survivors and affected persons are at the heart of the National Centre.” In response to feedback from survivors and affected people, the Minister has expanded the Steering Group overseeing the development to include survivor members.
There have also been calls for inclusive engagement by the State with survivors, affected persons of Bessborough, and the Special Advocate for Survivors to determine a shared approach to memorialisation and dignified burial for the infants, children, and mothers who died at the institution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the estimated death toll at Bessborough?
It is estimated that 923 babies died at Bessborough Mother and Baby home between the 1920s and 1990s.
What concerns did former Minister Katherine Zappone raise regarding Bessborough?
In a submission to An Coimisiún Pleanála last April, Ms Zappone questioned whether the Commission did enough, stating that its efforts were “not sufficient or similar to the efforts made at Tuam,” and raised concerns over the lack of Ground Penetrating Radar surveys and reliance on construction monitoring.
What is the status of the Bessborough site and memorialisation discussions?
The Taoiseach has asked Cork City Council to engage with landowners at Bessborough to explore all options for the future of the site in an ongoing process, while advocates have supported calls for a Compulsory Purchase Order and inclusive engagement on dignified burial and memorialisation.
What approach should the State take in balancing statutory archive restrictions with survivors’ calls for transparency at former institutional sites?
Related reading