Minister asks families of Tuam babies to take seat on advisory board on exhumations

Anna Corrigan, whose two brothers are believed to have died in the Tuam home where her mother Bridget Dolan was incarcerated twice, has confirmed she has applied for a position on the board.

The Minister for Children has appealed for relatives of those buried on the grounds of the former Tuam mother and baby home to take part in a new advisory board which will represent their interests during the forthcoming exhumation.

Roderic O’Gorman made the announcement in an email to some of the families of the 796 Tuam babies as well as survivors on Tuesday night.

Mr O’Gorman has said there will be six members on the advisory board including “a chairperson with coronial expertise, two members with scientific expertise, a representative of Galway County Council, a former resident of the mother and Baby institution in Tuam and a family member of a person believed to be buried at the site”.

Anna Corrigan, whose two brothers are believed to have died in the Tuam home where her mother Bridget Dolan was incarcerated twice, has confirmed she has applied for a position on the board.

She said: “This is the first time the families have been asked to take part officially. There should also be more than one family member there.

When it comes to this grave, this is about family and our rights under EU and Irish law. No one else should be deciding what we do in this process. These children are related to us.

“We appreciate all advocates, who have always supported us, but I know they understand that this is about family.”

It comes as the minister recently appointed Daniel MacSweeney to oversee the exhumation of the deceased children, which is due to begin later this year. However, no date has been confirmed and the government is in the process of setting up an independent team to oversee the works.

In an email sent from the Department of Children, the Minister said he would "soon be publishing a call for expressions of interest to serve on the Advisory Board to the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam”.

“The Advisory Board will provide support and guidance to the Tuam Director as he undertakes the important and highly sensitive intervention at the site of the former Mother and Baby Institution. The Director is required to consult with the Board at regular intervals, including at key decision points in the Tuam intervention."

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The advisory board is one of the legal requirements in place under the Institutional Burials Act 2022. The legislation allows for a full-scale forensic excavation, recovery and analysis of the children’s remains.

It provides for a “Director to head up an Office to manage this intervention as well as the establishment of an Advisory Board to provide advice and guidance to a director in undertaking his/her functions. 

"The Advisory Board will be chaired by a person with coronial expertise and will include members with scientific expertise and former residents or family members of deceased persons believed to be buried at the site," it adds