Philomena Lee has said she is “appalled” by the revelations at Tuam, Co Galway, and said all institutions that dealt with unmarried women need to be examined.

Three separate diphtheria outbreaks among infants in one of the country’s mother and baby homes had 100% mortality rates.

Children’s Minister James Reilly yesterday published the terms of reference for an inquiry called on for many years to no avail.

Survivors of the vaccine trials deserve a full inquiry, and a State apology, writes Michael Dwyer

A former mother superior at Bessborough Mother and Baby Home has said its adoptions were not forced, that mothers were well-fed, and that its high historic death rates could be explained by lack of access to antibiotics.

According to records held in the archives of the Kerry County Library, in December 1929 the Department of Local Government and Public Health (DLGPH) issued a circular to all Irish local authorities requesting information on "unmarried mothers" in county homes.

The Government has bowed to national and international pressure over the scandal of the death of 4,000 babies who were buried in unmarked, unconsecrated and mass graves at homes for unmarried mothers.

WILL there be truth now, or will we go on hiding?

IF we did not deprive them of life, we deprived them of their identity. That is the hard truth about our relationship with “illegitimate” children which Stephen Frears’s film Philomena makes us face.

IN the 10 years since Michael Jackson first stood accused of child molestation, the pop superstar has managed to make two platinum albums, a handful of hits and some highly rated television specials.