Are a “large number” of children buried in a mass grave in a convent irish

known as ‘Tuam’s babies’, whose remains were discovered in 2017 in a grave in a convent, you have become a conscience for the irish, the catholic Church and to the Government of Leo Varadkar. The irish prime minister has announced this Thursday a new law to facilitate the excavation of mass graves.

Varadkar has announced in the Parliament that will shortly present the relevant legislation to be able to dig in concrete, the trench found a year ago in the religious institution Bon Secours Sisters-in Tuam (county Galway) to the west of Ireland – in the that remain buried at least 796 babies. Bon Secours Sisters, an Order of the roman catholic Church, addressed the convent, that did the times of the home for unwed mothers from 1925 to 1961. The remains of the babies belong to these mothers.

The historian irish Catherine Corless, born and raised in Tuam, has investigated the case and brought to light by the death certificates of the hundreds of babies that were born and died in the foster home. The excavation of the babies of Tuam to its subsequent identification and burial worthy cost, as announced by the prime minister, between six and 12 million euros, of which the Church of Rome will bring “voluntary contribution” 2.5 million euros. “The excavation work can begin in the early months of next year, once the approval of the appropriate legislation”, said Varadkar at the Dail (irish Parliament).

Catherine Corless has revealed to the BBC that “it is good news for the affected families that they can identify their babies and to bury them with the dignity they deserve”. But for the historian, “the expenses of the excavation, identification, and burial should be paid in full to the catholic Church, not only the voluntary contribution of 2.5 million euros”. Corless recalls that many of the unmarried women who gave birth in Tuam emigrated later to England. “The stigma of a single mother, the haunting for the rest of your life and many migrated with him,” added the historian of the religious institution in Tuam which closed in 1961.

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