Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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601. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the objectives of the commission of investigation into mother and baby homes; the actions that will be taken as a result of the commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42604/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters was established by Government in 2015. Its objective is to provide a full account of what happened to women and children in these homes during the period 1922 to 1998. It is investigating the issues of significant public concern as set out in its terms of reference (S.I. 57 of 2015). The Commission is required to address seven specific questions on the practices and procedures relating to the care, welfare, entry arrangements and exit pathways for the women and children who were residents of these institutions. The appropriate actions to be taken will be determined following consideration of the final reports to be produced by the Commission at the conclusion of its work.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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602. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the location of the records for St. Patrick's mother and baby home, Navan Road, of births, deaths, procedural matters, State involvement and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42605/17]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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603. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the location of the burial of the babies who died at St. Patrick's mother and baby home, Navan Road; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42606/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 602 and 603 together.

As I have previously stated to the Deputy, my Department does not hold any records from the institution known as St Patrick's Mother and Baby Home. A cohort of files from this former institution are held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and may be accessed by relevant parties through their Information and Tracing Services. In relation to birth and death records from St Patrick's, the General Register Office is the central civil repository for records relating to births and deaths in Ireland.

As the Deputy may be aware, St Patrick's Mother and Baby Home is one of the institutions currently being investigated by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters. The Commission is required to address seven specific areas which include areas that the Deputy has raised. As part of its terms of reference the Commission is directed to investigate and to make a report on burial arrangements in respect of persons who were resident in these institutions. In the course of investigating these matters the Commission will identify the sources of information and records most relevant to these issues.