Even before Tuam revelations, mother and baby homes were causing concern

Catherine Corless forced an official inquiry, but it seems that the HSE had already been aware of some of the disturbing allegations about Bessborough and Tuam for some time, writes Conall Ó Fatharta.

When the Tuam Babies scandal broke in 2012, it caused shockwaves around the world. The woman who brought the story to the fore, Catherine Corless, has rightly been lauded as a national hero.

However, two years earlier the HSE had reported extreme concerns about the level of infant deaths in multiple mother and baby homes. Not only that, it was also uncovering direct evidence of illegal adoptions and that at least one child was sent to a couple in the US in return for a cash payment.