Sisters of Bon Secours "Shocked and Saddened" by Tuam Babies Case

By Kerry Graye
Newstalk
June 5, 2014

http://www.newstalk.ie/Archbishop-of-Tuam-calls-on-Bon-Secours-Sisters-to-follow-moral-imperative

An outside nursery at Sea Ross Abbey

The Sisters of Bon Secours say they are shocked and deeply saddened by the discovery of hundreds of dead babies in a septic tank on the grounds of a former mother and baby home in Tuam, Co. Galway.

In a statement issued, the sisters welcome the recent government announcement to initiate an investigation in an effort to establish the full truth of what happened.

They say "In 1961 the Home was closed. All records were returned to the local authority, and would now be within the Health Service Executive, Co. Galway".

"The Bon Secours Sisters say they are committed to engaging with Catherine Corless, the Graveyard Committee and the local residents as constructively as they can on the graves initiative connected with the site".

"The Sisters welcome the recent Government announcement to initiate an investigation, in an effort to establish the full truth of what happened" they add.

The Children's Minister says the government inquiry into the deaths of some 800 babies in Tuam, Co. Galway will also consider other possible cases.

But Charlie Flanagan has told the Dail that Ireland failed in its promise to cherish the children of the nation.

He says urgent work is underway to figure out the best way for the state to respond to the discovery of the mass grave outside Galway.

He says the report will be back before the end of the month and that it will not be limited to Tuam.

In a statement, Dr. Diarmuid Martin has also asked anyone with information about burial sites - like the one containing 800 infant remains in Tuam - to bring forward that information to the authorities.

The government has promised a comprehensive investigation into the deaths of children at mother and baby homes nationwide.

Brendan Howlin told the Dail earlier that several departments are involving in a 'scoping exercise' to determine the extent of any mass graves the country.

A leading cleric has said the discovery in Galway is as bad as anything that happened in Nazi Germany.

Fr. Brian D'Arcy told Newstalk Lunchtime that he thought previous scandals involving the church had left him 'unshockable', and people need to be brought to justice for 'sinful crimes'.

Independent TD Catherine Murphy earlier demanded to know why the site of the mass grave at a septic tank in Tuam had not been declared a crime scene.