Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate this is a deeply personal and sensitive issue for the former residents of Sean Ross mother and baby home, their family members and supporters. The Deputy has raised this issue with me on several occasions and I am happy to continue to liaise with him on it.

The investigation of burial arrangements of persons who died while resident in mother and baby homes was a key focus in the terms of reference given to the statutory commission of investigation. We already know from the commission's interim reports that it dedicated significant time and effort to advancing its investigations into these matters.

There is a designated child burial site in the grounds of the institution in question. The commission has reported it was made aware of concerns about this burial ground and decided to undertake a geophysical study and subsequently a test excavation of the site.

The results of this excavation were being examined at the time of publication of the fifth interim report. The commission confirmed it would comment further on these matters in the final report. As I outlined in my reply to Deputy Funchion earlier, I received the commission's final report on 30 October and I will publish it in the week of 11 January.

I am sure that the Deputy can understand that I cannot get into specific details in advance of the report's publication.

Once the report is published I am happy to meet directly with the Deputy to discuss those particular chapters of the report relevant to that institution. I am happy to engage subsequently with groups representing survivors. I have spoken to at least one person representing survivors' groups but I am happy to engage further once the report is published and we can discuss on the basis of what the commission has found.

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