Mother and baby home burial sites
Deputy Pringle asked that mother and baby home burial sites be protected in county development plans, including at Bessborough. The Taoiseach agreed they should be protected and said he would raise the matter with the Housing Minister and local authorities.
An oral hearing is under way on the planning application at the mother and baby home at Bessborough and the identification of graves. There are mother and baby homes across the country in every local authority area. Will the Government ask the local authorities to ensure they are protected under the county development plans so that potential burial sites can be identified and that future developments have to take cognisance of them and protect them?
Comment on this
I will speak to the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government in that regard because I think all burial grounds in mother and baby homes should be protected and no violation of those grounds should occur for any reason. I will engage with the Minister in terms of the local authorities.