Taoiseach says Bessborough CPO is 'not a straightforward' option

Taoiseach and Holly Cairns clash in the Dáil over plans to develop apartments on the former Bessborough site

Concerns about the planned development of apartments on the Bessborough site were raised by Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns and Labour leader Ivana Bacik. File picture: Denis Scannell

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said a compulsory purchase order (CPO) for the former Bessborough mother and baby home site in Cork is "not a straightforward" option for the Government.

Mr Martin told the Dáil on Tuesday that acquiring the site was not a simple process and could not be done "by just pressing a button".

“This does need reflection. It does need examination. I fully accept the disquiet that is out there,” Mr Martin said.

Concerns about the planned development of apartments on the Bessborough site were raised by Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns and Labour leader Ivana Bacik.

Ms Cairns was highly critical of the decision to grant planning permission, describing it as "a betrayal by the State of the thousands of women and children who were incarcerated and abused there".

She said the decision had caused "immeasurable trauma" for survivors.

In response, Mr Martin said An Coimisiún Pleanála is an independent body.

“People may describe its actions as disgusting and so on, but it is independent in its planning functions,” Mr Martin said.

“If we ever get to the day where politicians feel that we can intervene on an ongoing basis on various issues, I think that would, over time, become problematic as well for society.”

Mr Martin said there was no evidence of burials having taken place on the specific site earmarked for development, adding that State buildings had occupied part of the site "for quite a long time".

In response, Ms Cairns said that if the Government did not proceed with a CPO, it would be regarded as "the most callous decision by the Government".

“A commission of investigation said it's highly likely that there’s children, there are uninvestigated deaths that they've died from, buried in these grounds, and you say, "Go ahead and build apartments on it.’”

Ms Cairns said she believed survivors would chain themselves to the gates rather than allow the development to proceed.

Heated Dáil exchanges

The debate led to heated exchanges between Mr Martin and Ms Cairns, with the Taoiseach saying the Social Democrats did not have "a monopoly on empathy or anger on this issue".

In response, Ms Cairns said: “No one cares about what you think on a monopoly on caring. This is about people who are buried in the ground.

“Save us the spiel on how much you care.” In response,

Mr Martin accused Ms Cairns of shouting him down.

“We have not been involved in the decision of An Bord Pleanala.”

He added that legislation passed by the Government would require all work on the site to stop if human remains were discovered.