TDs may not have seen thousands of mother and baby home protest letters 

A Government source said this measure was “effectively gagging people” as TDs potentially missed thousands of letters from constituents contacting them about this sensitive issue. Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wire

An "anti-democratic" Oireachtas ICT measure potentially redirected thousands of heartfelt letters, begging TDs not to pass the controversial mother and baby home legislation, away from their inbox ahead of a key Dáil vote.

A surge of emails hit the Oireachtas server on budget day, crashing the system, as approximately 30,000 concerned people contacted their TDs about the bill relating to the records of those who passed through mother and baby homes.