Written answers
Thursday, 3 July 2025
Department of Children, Disability and Equality
Mother and Baby Homes
Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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326. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the decision to not excavate Sean Ross Abbey will be revised; the person who decided that the report findings were not enough to warrant an excavation; the basis for that decision; the alternative action, if any, being taken to account for the over 1,000 missing children from Sean Ross Abbey; if the Government will commit to a full excavation to determine what happened to these children and provide closure to their families; if not, the alternative justice measures proposed by Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36722/25]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I am very conscious of the pain caused by the death of children who were resident in the former Mother and Baby institution at Sean Ross Abbey.
The investigation of burial arrangements in Mother and Baby institutions, including the former institution at Sean Ross Abbey, was an important part of the work of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes. At the request of the Commission, which had specific investigative powers, a forensic archaeological investigation was conducted at the children’s burial ground at Sean Ross Abbey. The report, which was commissioned on foot of concerns about the burial ground in Sean Ross Abbey, found that infant human burials were located in the designated Children’s Burial ground and these had not been impacted by any utilities or drainage works. The report notes that coffins, or evidence of coffins, were located with the majority of remains (84%).
As set out in the Final report, the Commission was satisfied that the forensic report provided clear evidence that the coffined remains of children under the age of one are buried in the designated burial ground. It noted that, without complete excavation, it was not possible to say conclusively that all of the children who died in Sean Ross were buried in the designated burial ground and that it did not consider that further investigation was warranted.
I understand that, following publication of the Commission’s final report, the then Minister engaged with a local group in relation to their concerns that a privately owned area beyond the acknowledged burial ground at Sean Ross Abbey may also contain graves. In 2023, funding was provided to the group to support them in undertaking a survey of the land which was not subject to forensic archaeological investigation by the Commission.
The group submitted a copy of the report of the survey to my Department, and, as there is no expertise in the Department to assess it, the Chief Archaeologist in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage was asked to review it. The Chief Archaeologist’s review, which has been shared with the group concerned, concludes that the survey report is inconclusive, with no clear evidence of burials.
The Institutional Burials Act 2022 provides a legislative basis for an intervention whereby 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. Section 7 of the 2022 Act requires that Government must be satisfied that burials have taken place and must have evidence that those burials are manifestly inappropriate in order to establish an Office of Director of Authorised Intervention to undertake the excavation and recovery of remains at a site associated with a particular institution.
Given that the designated burial ground has been forensically investigated and there is no evidence of manifestly inappropriate burials, and there is also no evidence of manifestly inappropriate burials in the area outside the designated burial ground, it is not possible to bring forward a proposal to establish an Office of Director of Authorised Intervention to excavate the site at Sean Ross Abbey.
The Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions sets out the suite of measures intended to respond to the priority needs and concerns of survivors, former residents and their families. Significant progress has been made in implementing these measures, including the introduction of the Birth Information and Tracing Act 2022, the appointment of a Special Advocate for survivors, the opening of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payments Scheme and progressing the development of the National Centre for Research and Remembrance. Actions related to local memorialisation are being progressed by a working group established by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
In addition, in November 2022, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage wrote to all City and County Councils requesting that Development Plan processes give adequate consideration to incorporating appropriate measures to ensure the protection of unrecorded burial sites associated with an institution.
Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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327. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to revise the mother and baby home redress scheme to include those who spent less than six months in a mother and baby home institution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36723/25]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme acknowledges circumstances experienced while resident in a Mother and Baby Institution and the associated conditions, shame and stigma endured over a period of time. Using time spent as the deciding factor, is intended to support a non-adversarial approach which avoids the need for applicants to have to bring forward evidence or prove abuse or harm. This non-adversarial approach ensures that those who spent longer periods of time in these institutions, and endured the harshest conditions, receive the highest level of support.
The six month eligibility criterion was initially presented in the Commission of Investigation report and was subsequently included in the report of the interdepartmental working group which was asked to scope out the Payment Scheme.
The underpinning legislation for the Scheme provides for a number of reviews to be produced. Section 48 provides for two reviews into the operation of the Scheme to be completed. The first is to be completed within six months of the Scheme’s second anniversary, by September 2026.
As I have not yet received these reviews, it would be premature to consider changes to eligibility at this time.
It is acknowledged that some survivors are not eligible for the Scheme and are disappointed by this. However, it should be noted that the Payment Scheme is just one of a large suite of actions being undertaken to respond to the legacy of these institutions under the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions.
For those who spent shorter periods of time in institutions as young children, the overwhelming priority need which has been expressed by survivors has been access to records. As of 23rd June 2025, under the Birth Information and Tracing Act, the Adoption Authority of Ireland and Tusla have completed over 16,000 applications for information. All applications are processed in accordance with statutory timeframes.
Other actions in the Action Plan include the provision of counselling supports, the services of the Special Advocate, both already in place, as well as the ongoing development of a National Centre for Research and Remembrance.
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