Tuam Babies dig to commence in coming weeks after delays with DNA identification process
The long-awaited dig is being overseen by Mr Daniel McSweeney, the Director of Authorised Intervention
The dig for the remains of 796 dead children at the site of the former Tuam Mother and Babies Home will begin in the next few weeks.
Preliminary preparation work for the excavation will start before Christmas and the full dig itself will begin in early 2025.
The announcement was made by the Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman in reply to a Dail question from Sinn Fein TD for Roscommon/Galway Claire Kerrane.
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She is concerned about difficulties getting the whole extensive DNA ID operation underway.
The long-awaited dig is being overseen by Mr Daniel McSweeney, the Director of Authorised Intervention.
His role is, where possible, to recover, to identify and to rebury in a respectful and appropriate way, the children whose bodies were dumped in several underground sewers at the original Tuam site.
The area involved is now a small park, with a shrine honouring the dead right next to a housing estate.
Minister O’Gorman said: "The Director’s initial priorities has been engagement with key stakeholders including families and survivors and undertaking the necessary preparatory works to allow for the excavation to commence.
"Preliminary works at the site will begin in the coming weeks and will be followed by the commencement of full excavation works in early 2025."
The Minister admitted there has been some delays getting the DNA process to identify the bodies up and running.
He revealed: "The Director and his team are also working to get the Identification Programme up and running, and to begin taking DNA from eligible family members as soon as possible.
"Under the Institutional Burials Act 2022, a number of steps need to be taken before the Director can start taking DNA samples from eligible family members.
"A sample of recovered remains needs to be analysed to ensure that DNA of sufficient quality is available to enable DNA comparison.
"A public information campaign needs to be launched to raise awareness and let people know they can participate in the programme.
"In the meantime if a family member is not in a position to wait for the identification programme to begin because of serious concern about their age of health status, I have put arrangements in place in the form of an Administrative Scheme.
"This allows a sample to be taken now on a purely voluntary basis, so that it will be available to be used to help identify remains from the site.
"To date a small number of DNA samples have been taken from elderly or vulnerable eligible family members under this scheme.
"The Director’s Office is also engaging with individuals who have queries in relation to providing a sample as part of the Identification Programme."
Many relatives of the dead are aged in their 80s and 90s.
Most of the dead children at Tuam were buried without a grave between 1925 and 1961.
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