The front page of today's Irish Examiner lists the 923 children who died in Bessborough mother and baby home in Cork. The burial place of only 64 children has been established. The commission has found that some of the 859 children who are unaccounted for are probably buried on the grounds. Unbelievably, there are planning applications for development on this site. I have raised this with the Taoiseach before and, needless to say, it cannot be allowed to go ahead. The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, announced legislation for the dignified exhumation of the children in the mass grave at Tuam. Will the Government introduce similar legislation for Bessborough? Can the Taoiseach assure people that these developments cannot go ahead?

I empathise with what the Deputy has said. I spoke to one of the representative organisations some time ago on the Bessborough situation. Their main objective was that the burial site would be preserved. There was a view that people can identify.

I agree that there first of all needs to be an examination and a proper and robust identification of the burial sites of all the children. I would have deep concerns about construction going ahead in the absence of that having been established and measures taken to protect such burial sites. It is perhaps premature at this stage to talk about legislation. However, the Bill that the Minister is bringing through in respect of Tuam can be applied-----

We need legislation for this.

No. I am saying that the legislation that he is introducing in respect of Tuam can be applied to other sites as well.

It should be done as a matter of urgency.