Galway Bay fm newsroom - A report into Tuam mother and baby home has found evidence that the burial grounds may extend beyond the area of the current memorial garden.
The fifth interim report published by the Children's Minister states that it is clear that many of the children who died in the Tuam Home are buried in the underground chambers.
The Commission's fifth interim report into mother and baby homes has examined the burial arrangements at six institutions across the country.
It states that it is clear that many of the children who died in the Tuam Home are buried in the chambers which date from 1937.
It is the Commission’s view that children who died prior to 1937 are unlikely to be buried in the chambers but may be buried in areas beyond the existing memorial garden.
The report states that the Tuam mother and baby home chambers were not a recognised burial ground or purpose built burial chamber and that it did not provide for the dignified interment of human remains.
It stated that employees of Galway County Council must have known about the burials as employees would have been in the grounds of the home quite frequently as they carried out repairs to the building and possibly also maintained the grounds.
The report also finds The Sisters of Bon Secours continued to live and work in Tuam until 2001 and states they must have been aware of the building works which were carried out on the Children’s Home site in the 1970s.
The Commission considers that there must be people in Tuam and the surrounding area who know more about the burial arrangements and who did not come forward with the information.
The Commission concludes that there is little basis for the theory that rather than having died, the children were ‘sold’ to America.
