Wednesday, 11th June 2025
Works to excavate the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam to start on Monday
Works to forensically excavate the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam will begin on Monday next, 16th June. The update on the timeline was provided today (11.06.25) by Daniel MacSweeney, who leads the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT).
Families with relatives who were in the Tuam institution and survivors of the institution have already been informed about the timeline for the start of the excavation works. They will have an opportunity to view the site works as part of a Family and Survivors Day that ODAIT is holding in the coming weeks.
ODAIT has also been encouraging survivors and family members to visit the site before excavation commences on Monday, if they wished to do so. This is because, to protect the integrity of the examination, the site must be under forensic control and cannot be open to the public once work begins.
“From the start of works on 16th June, the entire site, including the Memorial Garden, will be accessible only to staff carrying out the works and 24-hour security monitoring will be in place,” said Daniel MacSweeney. “The initial four weeks will involve setting up the site, including the installation of 2.4-metre hoarding around the perimeter. These measures are necessary to ensure the site’s forensic integrity and to enable us to carry out the works to the highest international standards that govern the excavation and recovery programme.
“This is a unique and incredibly complex excavation. The work is expected to take approximately 24 months to complete. The final timetable will depend on many variables, some of which may only become fully clear as the work progresses.
“As the site will be under forensic control at all times during the excavation, we have encouraged families and survivors to visit the site, if they wished to do so, in recent weeks. In addition, we are putting in a place plans to facilitate a day for family members and survivors to include a visit to the perimeter of the forensically controlled site to view the works being undertaken. This will take place in the coming weeks.”
Any family members or survivors interested in joining the site visit are welcome to contact ODAIT on info@dait.ie. All media and photographer enquiries should be directed to Alice Public Relations: media@alicepr.com.
