Sensitive treatment

THE gardaí are to be praised for their sensitive handling of the search to identify abandoned baby Maria.

In yesterday’s new appeal for information about her, it was particularly important to establish that this is not a criminal investigation. Hopefully that may allay her mother’s fears and convince her to come forward in the interests of her own welfare and that of her baby.

Unfortunately, it appears the gardaí have no information about this distressing case. That makes yesterday’s press conference at the roadside where she was found in Co Dublin all the important. If it succeeds in jogging the memory of someone who happened to be passing at the time the baby was left there, it will prove to be a very worthwhile exercise indeed.