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Frances Fitzgerald Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

Frances Fitzgerald confirms she has ordered a garda report into the Tuam babies revelations

It comes amid ongoing controversy about the mass grave at the site of a former Bon Secours mother and baby home.

THE MINISTER FOR JUSTICE Frances Fitzgerald has confirmed she has ordered a report from An Garda Siochána to establish how much information it holds about the ‘Tuam babies’ revelations.

It comes amid ongoing controversy about the mass grave at the site of a former Bon Secours mother and baby home. Fitzgerald has requested a report from An Garda Síochána on the information available to them to date.

There have been calls for the area to be declared a crime scene and for a full public inquiry into how 796 infants may have been buried in an unmarked grave that was later used as a septic tank in the Galway town.

The government has already ordered an interdepartmental review to work out how best to proceed with investigating the matter further.

“It is very important that we address these disturbing issues as sensitively as possible,” Fitzgerald said today. “There is no doubt that coverage over the last few days will have inevitably evoked very painful memories for people, many of whom are now quite elderly.”

Fitzgerald has confirmed that the Department of Justice has been liaising with the gardaí as part of the interdepartmental review.

Although she confirmed she had asked for the report, the ordering of which was first reported by TheJournal.ie on Wednesday, Fitzgerald said that decisions about any criminal investigation will be up to the gardaí.

“The purpose of criminal investigations is to lead to the prosecution of persons where the commission of offences has been established,” she said.

She added: “Consideration will be given by Government on how best to proceed in the interests of all those who were affected by extremely disturbing events.”

In the Dáil last night, the Children’s Minister Charlie Flanagan announced that a task force will carry out the interdepartmental review and report by the end of the month on how best to proceed.

Read: TD calls for Tuam mass grave to be declared a crime scene>

Read: The world is talking about Tuam’s 800 dead babies>

Read: Mass grave ‘filled to the brim with tiny bones and skulls’ shows how we cherish children>

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77 Comments
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    Mute Toby
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    Jul 28th 2023, 8:06 AM

    Every country France colonised is a mess now, recent coups in Mali, Burkina and Niger. Even France is a mess. Do we want to be in Europe as a bit player in their club?

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    Mute James Carroll
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    Jul 28th 2023, 8:51 AM

    @Toby: Yes.

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    Mute John Lonergan
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    Jul 28th 2023, 8:53 AM

    @Toby: cause the ones other countries colonised are all fine and dandy?

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    Mute Washpenrebel
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    Jul 28th 2023, 10:12 AM

    I would expect no one here realises that France is still has the biggest colonies in Africa. They countries they used to directly control, they now control their finances. Ie these countries reserves are stored in the French central bank. The French keep them poor and the enrich themselves with their resources. When a leader comes in they don’t like, they are removed. France is far from a democracy. In fairness to the British at least they left.

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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Jul 28th 2023, 11:16 AM

    @Washpenrebel: In fairness the British left? Yes the British left after drawing lines in the sand that led to the deaths of millions between India and Pakistan. The mess they left behind in the Middle East is still going on to this day. The British Empire was just as bad as the French Empire. A legacy of murder and destruction.

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    Mute Washpenrebel
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    Jul 28th 2023, 12:37 PM

    @Donal Desmond: 100% agree with you. But the way the French still control former colonies is horrendous. There is a reason why the French foreign legion are still active all over Africa. Africa is still used as a resource to plunder a pillage from. The Congo being a perfect example with all its rich minerals.

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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Jul 28th 2023, 10:31 AM

    Washpenrebel.
    For anyone starting to read his comment just skip down to the last sentence.

    It’s handy when commenters make their agenda so obvious.

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    Mute Pato
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    Jul 28th 2023, 3:04 PM

    The British left did they? How come I still see them when I go to Enniskillen?

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