State may be party to offence of preventing lawful burials

The State may be party to the “continuing offence” of preventing a lawful and decent burial unless it fully exhumes, sorts, and buries any infant remains that are found in unmarked plots connected to former mother and baby homes.

The finding is contained in the report, prepared by the special rapporteur on child protection Dr Geoffrey Shannon for Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone, on the human rights issues arising from the discovery of infant remains in Tuam.