Publication
Dignified Burial and Tuam Intervention
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
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In Action 22 of the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions, the government committed to advancing burials legislation to allow intervention where there have been manifestly inappropriate burials. In February 2022, it approved publication of the Institutional Burials Bill 2022 to support the excavation, exhumation and, where possible, identification of remains so that they can be reburied with dignity. Following the successful passage of the Bill through the Houses of the Oireachtas, it was signed into law by the President on 13 July 2022.
Institutional Burials Act 2022 – Plain English version
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On 4 October 2022 the Government made an Order, under the Institutional Burials Act, to direct the establishment of an independent Office to lead an intervention at the site of the former Mother and Baby Institution in Tuam, Co. Galway. In March 2023 the Minister formally established the Office of the Authorised Intervention, Tuam, in law.
An Appropriate Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment were also carried out on behalf of the Department and published in November 2022:
A recruitment campaign for a Director to head up the Office of Authorised Intervention was launched by the Public Appointments Service in November 2022 and Mr Daniel Mac Sweeney was appointed as Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam on 23 May2023.
As required under the Institutional Burials Act 2023, the Tuam Director prepared and submitted his first Annual Report to the Minister in July 2024. The report outlines the activities of the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam, in 2023.
The Minister established the Advisory Board to the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam in September 2023 to provide guidance and advice to the Director in undertaking the intervention at the Tuam site. In line with the provisions of the Institutional Burials Act 2022 the Tuam Advisory Board consists of: a chairperson who is a former coroner or someone with coronial expertise; two members with scientific expertise; a representative of Galway County Council; a former resident of the Tuam institution; and a family member of a person believed to be buried at the Tuam site.
Approved minutes of the Advisory Board meetings are available below: