23/10/2017 - Tuam Home Survivors Network welcomes the Statement today by Minister Katherine Zappone that she is in possession of the Report from the Group of Experts that were appointed to provide their opinions on the site of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home.
We note that the Report has also been forwarded to the Attorney General and members of the Cabinet. We look forward to receiving a copy of the Report and the opportunity to provide feedback from the perspective of family members and survivors of the Home.
Statement by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr Katherine Zappone, on receiving the Report of the Expert Technical Group appointed to provide advice on the site of the former Mother and Baby Home, Tuam, Co. Galway
Monday 23rd October, 2017
Katherine Zappone, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs announced today (23 October 2017) that she has received the report of the Expert Technical Group dealing with the site of the former Mother and Baby Home, Tuam, Co. Galway. The Minister said:
“It is my intention to publish the report after I have brought it to Government. We will consult with stakeholders before making any decisions"
The Report explores a number of possible options for managing the Tuam site and appropriately responding to the discovery of interred human remains by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes. The report examines these options in the context of internationally accepted best practise in such cases. This report will help to inform the decisions which must now be made in respect of the site. Minister Zappone said:
“I want to thank the members of the Expert Technical Group for their work on such a complex and sensitive issue. Their report will help everyone involved to understand the nature of the options now open to us, so that we can make well-informed decisions. My primary concern is to ensure that whatever action is taken respects the memory and dignity of the deceased children who lived their short lives in this institution.”
The Minister has given a copy of the report to the Attorney General and will consider, in conjunction with her Cabinet colleagues, the next steps to help all stakeholders move towards a consensus on what should happen next.