The Government has confirmed that a full review will be carried out into the discovery of the bodies of 800 babies in Tuam “before the end of the month”.
The horrifying revelation emerged when a researcher found records for 796 youngsters believed to be buried in a mass grave beside a former orphanage for the children of unwed mothers in Tuam, Co Galway. Catherine Corless said that her findings suggest that a former septic tank filled with bones is the final resting place for most of the children.
The news has been met with anger and demands for a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the infant deaths.
Earlier today, cleric Fr Brian Darcy has said the discovery was “shocking” and “as bad as Nazi Germany”, adding that people must be brought to justice for “sinful crimes”.
“I think if the facts are as bad as they seem to be, and I have no reason to doubt that, I think this will cause a massive revolution about the kind of country that we had and the kind of country that we’re all children of,” he said.
In the Dáil today, the Government confirmed that a “scoping exercise” had begun to see if other similar mass graves existed in other parts of the country. Minister for Children Charlie Flanagan added that a task force would carry out a full review by the end of the month, which would “seek and find out the truth” in a prompt and swift manner.
