Survivors of mother and baby institution must determine site’s future – minister

By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association

Survivors of the mother and baby institution in Bessborough, Co Cork, should be “front and centre in the determination of the future of that site”, a Government minister has said.

On Thursday, Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin told Leader’s Questions the decision of An Coimisiún Pleanála to grant permission to a private developer to build apartments on the site was “appalling, utterly, utterly disgraceful”.

He said it was “met with real anger, disgust, and hurt” by survivors, families, and the public, “not least because 829 children who died in Bessborough are unaccounted for to this very day”.

“We still do not know where they are buried or what happened to them and there has been no proper investigation of the land.”

The party’s housing spokesperson called on the Government to buy the site, facilitate an investigation of the land and preserve it as “a site of national conscience”.

Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, said the Government could not have intervened while An Coimisiún Pleanála or planning authorities were making their decisions.

“We know those are independent processes, and they had to run their course,” he said.

Addressing calls for the State to acquire the site, he said he could not “respond with exact precision” on what would happen.

It's very difficult to engage when a legal process by independent institutions is being determined upon, but now we have the opportunity, and absolutely we will engage proactively with victims and survivors

“But while I say it should be victim-centred, and I really believe this; those who have been affected by that trauma, those families who still carry this grief to this very day, need to be front and centre in the determination of the future of that site.”

He was then asked by Ó Broin when the Government would engage with victims and survivors to discuss the issues.

Burke said he had not spoken to the Taoiseach or Tánaiste since An Coimisiún Pleanála’s decision was announced earlier on Thursday.

“Government is aware of the processes that were ongoing, and obviously, it’s very difficult to engage when a legal process by independent institutions is being determined upon, but now we have the opportunity, and absolutely we will engage proactively with victims and survivors,” he said.