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THE DEATH RATE of babies at the Tuam mother and baby home was almost double the rate of other homes around the country.
Figures from National Archives seen by TheJournal.ie show that 31.6% of babies under the age of one in Tuam died over the course of one year.
This compares to an overall death rate in other homes around the country of just over 17% among babies of the same age.
The return from Galway Local Authority shows that in the Tuam mother and baby home 49 babies were born in the institution in 1947. A further 30 children under the age of one were admitted to the institution, making there a total of 79 children under the age of one in the care of the maternity home.
In that year, 25 babies under the age of one died in the home.
It also lists the cause of death for the children in the Tuam home. One child, aged just 8 months old, died of laryngitis and cardiac arrest.
A three month old is recorded as dying of TB, while a 5 week old is reported as dying from a cerebral haemorrhage. Other causes of death include, bronchitis, convulsions and epilepsy.
Two children aged just five and six weeks old are listed as dying of congenital syphilis.
The figures are contained in the state file entitled: “Children Returns of births, deaths etc of illegitimate children in institutions during year 31/3/1947.”
The return for Dublin is omitted from the file, but includes returns from the other counties. No reason is given as to why the Dublin area figures are omitted.
Comparison with other homes
The register of births, still births, admittances and deaths for maternity homes in 1947 shows that in total 1,068 infants under the age of one are listed as in mother and baby homes that year.
A total of 852 babies were born in the institutions, while 216 infants under the age of one were admitted.
Over 183 babies or over 17% of the babies under the age of one in the care of mother and baby homes died in 1947.
Under the law at the time, maternity homes had to be registered with each local authority.
Each local authority was required to submit yearly returns to the Department of Health specifying the number of children in care and the number of deaths.
While most of the returns for each county do not contain any identifying details, the return for Galway, which lists Tuam mother and baby home, contains the names of the children that died.
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It’s parents leave, not parental. Parental is fully unpaid, parents is paid by the state and then company dependent.
@D: perental leave is a term describing the type of leave not weather you get paid for it or not. Get a grip.
@Joe Byrne: I was explaining that it wasn’t the unpaid leave in case anyone was confused as the article initially said parental leave and it’s confusing with the different types of leave. Absolutely no need for that rude reply.
@Joe Byrne: it’s spelled parental
@Joe Byrne: what’s the weather like Joe???
Looks like I picked the wrong day to get a vasectomy.
14 months in Germany
Previously it was stated this bill would increase the parents leave to 7 weeks from 5 for parents of children born after July 2022. However now everywhere seems to say parents are entitled to take 7 weeks with no mention of the child having to be born after a specific date. Has this been extended retrospectively to all parents of children under 2? Would be good if some publishment whether it’s media or citizens information website could confirm as I’m not long (about 1 week ago) after receiving a reminder from social welfare that I’ve yet to apply to take the “5 weeks” that I’m eligible for.
@Darragh Bailey: The published information says you get seven weeks as long as the child is under two. If a parent has already taken five weeks and the child is still under two they are able to apply for the additional two weeks now also.
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