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Cork City Council has tabled a motion urging the government to release burial records from the former Bessborough Mother and Baby Home, after an investigation identified only 64 of the over 800 missing children's burial sites. The motion received unanimous support and signals ongoing demands for transparency and closure.
At a recent meeting of Cork City Council, a motion was tabled that called for the release of burial records from the former Bessborough Mother and Baby Home, a facility that operated from 1922 until 1998.
The motion also urged the government to direct the commission of investigation into Mother and Baby Homes to disclose the findings related to the institution. The council's representative, Councillor Niall Horgan, emphasized that the motion had received unanimous support, noting that both political parties and independents had no dissenting voice.
"That shows this is not a political football," Horgan told The Irish Times, urging the government to act on the matter. Historical research by the commission has traced the burial sites of only 64 children from Bessborough, leaving over 800 other children's burial places unknown. In total, more than 900 children died at the institution or after being transferred to hospitals.
The inquiry concluded that some of the missing children may have been buried in unmarked graves, but a full excavation of the 24‑hectare site was deemed infeasible. Bessborough's 80‑hectare estate now overlaps with built‑up land, which further complicates any potential search. Councillor Horgan described the site as a "specter that haunts the community" and said the motion was designed to uncover the truth about those lost children.
He also mentioned that the council would write to the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, the Minister for Children, and the Attorney General within the week to seek action. The council's interest in the site runs further; in 2021 it secured planning permission to build 140 apartments on part of the former Home's grounds. Conditions for the development included forensic archaeological monitoring and the appointment of a liaison officer to engage with survivor groups.
The permission also stated that if human remains were discovered, works would be halted, the site secured, and the Cork City coroner notified. The motion is part of a broader effort by support groups and families to demand transparency and healing. Horgan's statement on July 4 declared, "Bessborough is of huge importance to many people and families, at home and abroad. We need to do the right thing for all concerned.
" He also highlighted that, in the absence of evidence of unrecorded burials in the area designated for redevelopment, the development can proceed under strict oversight. Nonetheless, the council remains committed to exposing the full extent of the site's history, stating that if the government does not respond, they will continue to press the issue.
The motion's unanimous passage marks an important moment in recognising the unresolved tragedies at Bessborough and the need for official acknowledgement and closure for survivors and their families
Cork City Council Bessborough Mother And Baby Home Burial Records Unanimous Motion Investigation
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