Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government acknowledges the commission of investigation into 14 mother and baby homes and ancillary issues. In March of this year, the discovery of juvenile human remains in significant quantities in sub-surface chambers on the site of an historic sewage system was reported. Following that discovery, an expert technical group was set up on 1 June. Commendably, it reported with its options at the end of June and gave its full report at the end of September. It is now December and this is the first time that Members have had sight of the report, notwithstanding that the report itself outlines that transparency is of the utmost importance, that a culture of transparency should be cultivated and so on. It also acknowledges that in spite of the good efforts of the Minister, Deputy Zappone, no agency, Department or organisation has an acknowledged role in co-ordinating the work. I ask the Taoiseach to clarify why it has taken so long to publish the report, given that the options were available to him at the end of June and the full report at the end of September. I ask him to confirm that the issue will be tabled for discussion in the House in the interests of openness and transparency.

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