Call for Tuam children’s mass grave to become crime scene

Galway Bay fm newsroom – There have been calls for the mass grave of up to 800 children in Tuam to be declared a crime scene. Independent TD Catherine Murphy has joined calls for a full Garda investigation into how hundreds of children died in Mother-and-Baby homes around the country. Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Michael Neary says he understands that material relating to the Mother and Baby home in Tuam had been given to the County Council and Health authorities in 1961 by the managers of the home, the Bons Secours Sisters. He says the Archdiocese will co-operate fully with an examination, but that there is a clear moral imperative on the Bon Secours Sisters to act upon their responsibilities in the interest of the common good. His statement came just hours after the Minister for Children, Charlie Flanagan announced the establishment of a cross-departmental initiative. Minister Brendan Howlin has told the Dail that several departments are involving in a ‘scoping exercise' to determine whether other mass graves exist around the country. Meanwhile, Connect counselling is providing a telephone-based service to anyone impacted by the investigation into the children's mass grave. The number to call is 1800 477 477. In the Dáil, Independent TD Catherine Murphy demanded to know from Minister Brendan Howlin why the site of the mass grave in Tuam had not been declared a crime scene.