Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Any immediate development at Bessborough is wrong and should not be allowed to progress, especially as we have heard that the burial sites of almost 900 babies in the grounds of Bessborough are still unknown. I was not aware, until this meeting, that the burial sites of some 19 women in Bessborough are also unknown. We cannot allow any immediate development on that site as it is.

I am relatively new Deputy and if there was ever a need for pre-legislative scrutiny, this meeting has shown it. We have seen diverse opinions and heard heartbreaking life stories of survivors. We heard that the Bill is not worthy and that children need to be exhumed, identified and given a proper burial. We have also heard that children should remain in situand that a permanent memorial be erected. I can see the rationale for all the opinions. I thank all the witnesses for their honest contributions to the meeting. It is important that no voice is lost.

I have a generic question and I am going to put a bit of pressure on the Acting Chair. I ask the Acting Chair to share the remainder of my time between the three witnesses. We have all heard each other today but I ask them how we can best ensure, as we go forward in this process, that nobody's voice is lost?