Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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336. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the State funded, subsidised or insured any aspect of the operations at a location (details supplied), including buildings, care services or facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36801/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy has asked about funding relationships between the State and Sean Ross Abbey between 1950 and 1980.

The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes made significant findings in relation to what happened to vulnerable women and children in Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. Throughout its inquiry, the Commission relied on the testimony of hundreds of survivors and millions of pages of documentary evidence.

Chapter 19 of the Commission's Final Report details the institution known as Sean Ross: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/chapter-19-sean-ross/. This chapter states that Sean Ross was owned and run by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and that the public assistance / health authorities paid for the vast majority of the mothers and their children while they were living there.

With regard to the funding of buildings and facilities at Sean Ross, the chapter details a number of instances where funding was provided by the Department of Health. To give just some examples, in October 1952 the Department of Health "authorised a grant of £1,800 from the Hospitals Trust Fund towards the cost of providing a new assembly hall." Additionally in 1956 the Department of Health "decided that it would give a grant of £1,300 to cover the cost of installing fire escapes, upgrading the sewerage system, connecting downpipes and renovating the dining rooms".

Regarding the broader issue of historical records of residential institutions, the Department is currently in possession of the Commission’s archive of records and is the data controller for all the personal data contained within those records. The Child and Family Agency, Tusla, also has a copy of the Commission’s database and related records.

Additionally, work on the creation of the central repository of records to sit within the National Centre for Research and Remembrance is being led by the National Archives under the auspices of the Steering Group. Many of the records to be contained in the National Centre will transfer to National Archives of Ireland from a government department or State body who created, received or held the records in the course of their own business functions. A process is underway across departments to prepare these records for transfer to the National Centre under the provision of the National Archives Act 1986.

In relation to the query about Saint Anne's Special School this query may be more relevant for the Department of Education.