Minster Zappone visits Tuam Babies graveyard site

MINISTER for Children Katherine Zappone visited the Tuam Babies graveyard earlier today and discussions with former residents and campaigner Catherine Corless have been described as “very positive”.

A probe of the graveyard site of the former Tuam Mothers and Baby Home is expected to be carried out over the coming days. However, it's understood that this will involve preliminary sampling, will be non-invasive and won't be a full excavation of the site.

The probe will be part of the inquiry being carried out by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes.

Speaking to The Tuam Herald Minister Zappone said the inquiry is on track to reaching its target of issuing its report and recommendations by 2018.

A former resident of the Tuam home, PJ Haverty, told The Herald that he felt far more hopeful following his meeting with the Minister and that he had renewed confidence in the investigation and its outcome.

Walter Francis, who spent the first six years of his life in the home, also saw the meeting in Tuam as very positive. “I thought she was very genuine and sincere,” he said of the Minister's visit.

Minister Zappone said her meeting with Catherine Corless and the group of former residents was very emotional and urged those who had yet to tell their story to the commission, to come forward.