Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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137. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans to carry out excavations at former mother and baby homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26584/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I am committed to advancing the legislation that is required to facilitate an intervention at site of the former Mother Baby institution in Tuam, Co. Galway, and am conscious of the need to start excavations there at the earliest opportunity.

The Institutional Burials Bill, which was published in February 2022, seeks to ensure that the remains of those who died in residential institutions, and who were buried in a manifestly inappropriate manner, may be recovered and re-interred in a respectful and appropriate way. It also provides for the identification of remains and their return to family members, where possible. The legislation is not site specific and will provide for interventions at other sites associated with institutions should similar situations arise in the future.

The Bill has completed Committee Stage in Dáil Éireann. I hope to bring it through the remaining stages of the legislative process as quickly as possible, with a view to establishing an Office to manage intervention at the Tuam site later this year so that excavation can begin.