Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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960. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of preparing the report of the expert technical group on the site of the former mother and baby home at Tuam. [45013/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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An Expert Technical Group (ETG) was commissioned to provide advice on the options available to Government in appropriately responding to the discovery of juvenile remains interred on the site in Tuam.

The six person ETG employed a multidisciplinary approach to the technical issues at the Tuam site and included experts in forensic archaeology; Irish archaeology and remote sensing; forensic anthropology; juvenile osteoarchaeology; forensic science and Irish medico-legal death investigations.

In addition, the ETG commissioned geophysical surveys and analysis, a consultant engineers report and a health and safety report to inform its work.

In December 2017 the ETG report on the Tuam site ‘Options and Appropriate Courses of Action available to Government at the site of the former Mother and Baby Home, Tuam, Co. Galway’ was published.  The total cost of preparing the report was €140,000.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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961. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters; the date by which the final reports from the commission will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45014/18]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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962. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount that has been spent on the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters in each year since its establishment. [45015/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 961 and 962 together.

The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters was established by Government on 17 February 2015 (S.I. No. 57 of 2015).

In terms of the status of the Commission, it is important to recognise that the Commission is independent in the conduct of its statutory investigations. I am not therefore in a position to provide detailed progress updates on its work. The Commission is due to submit its 3 Final Reports by February 2019.

The Commission has prepared three Interim Reports to date, in July 2016, September 2016 and September 2017. I have published all three reports and the Commission is continuing with its work.

Since it's establishment expenditure of approximately €7.4 million has been incurred to support salaries, fees and other operational costs relating to the work of the independent Commission and its engagement with former residents and other witnesses.

In addition, my Department has also directly incurred costs of approximately €1.6 million to date in supporting this work and responding to its reports to date. This also includes the processes I have commenced to complement the Commission's work by facilitating former residents of these institutions to directly engage on the issues of concern to them and their families.