The Government’s high-profile investigation into the mother-and-baby homes scandal will have an “extremely broad scope” and may involve “interim reports during its lifetime”.

The UN must be involved in any inquiry into Ireland’s mother-and-baby homes scandal, a rally in Cork was told yesterday.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s claim that a referendum may be needed to give adopted people basic rights has been dismissed as one which "does not survive scrutiny".

The religious orders involved in the mother-and-baby homes scandal should be made to pay for an inquiry into what went on, TDs have demanded.

The mother-and-baby homes scandal may force the Government to address the issue of forced and illegal adoptions which the State has avoided dealing with for decades, writes Conall Ó Fátharta.