THE DEPARTMENT of Children said a commission of investigation has agreed it is “not possible” to say whether all of the children who died at Sean Ross Abbey are buried in the Angels Plot.
It also “did not consider that further investigation was warranted”, even on behalf of the grieving mothers who have no idea where they can go to put flowers on a grave.
In a statement in response to queries from the Limerick Post, a spokesman for the department said “the investigation of burial arrangements in mother and baby institutions was an important part of the work of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes”.
“A forensic archaeological investigation was conducted at the children’s burial ground at Sean Ross Abbey.
“The report of that investigation … found that infant human remains were located across the burial ground and that these had not been impacted by any utilities of drainage works.
“The Commission was satisfied that the forensic report provided clear evidence that the coffined remains of children under the age of one are buried in the designated burial ground. It noted that, without complete excavation, it was not possible to say conclusively that all of the children who died in Sean Ross were buried in the designated burial ground and that it did not consider that further
investigation was warranted.”
After meeting with the ‘We’re Still Here” group, the then Minister provided funding to conduct a survey of the land beside the known burial ground.
The chief archaeologist in the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage was asked to review the resulting survey.
“The survey report is inconclusive, with no clear evidence of burials,” the statement from the department said.
Legislation governing burials allows for excavation if there is evidence of “inappropriate” burials.
“Given that the designated burial ground has been forensically investigated and there is no evidence of manifestly inappropriate burials, and there is also no clear evidence of burials or manifestly inappropriate burials in the area outside the designated burial ground, it is not possible to bring forward a proposal to establish an Office of Director of Authorised Intervention to excavate the site at Sean Ross Abbey,” the statement said.
The statement said that the recompense scheme recognises that children who spent six months or more in such institutions endured “harsh condition”.
“For children who spent less than six months in an institution and who were adopted in infancy or left the institution with their birth family, the priority need expressed by survivors was access to records. As of 13 January 2025, under the Birth Information and Tracing Act, the Adoption Authority of Ireland, and Tusla have completed over 15,750 applications for information.”
It was pointed out that, in addition to the payment scheme, seven commitments were made to survivors, six of which have been delivered with the last underway.
Since the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme opened to applications in March 2024, over 6,450 applications have been made, almost 5,700 Notices of Determination have issued, and over 4,200 payments have been made totalling over €65million. In addition, almost 1,850 medical card entitlements have been notified to the HSE.
The Limerick Post asked several times for a response from the order which ran the home, the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. None was forthcoming.
