Friday 2nd October 2026
Technical Update from the forensic excavation and identification programme of the former Mother and Baby Institution in Tuam, Co. Galway
Reporting period: 16th July 2026 – 30th September 2026
ODAIT’s Forensic Excavation team are examining the 0.48 Ha site of the former Mother and Baby Institution at the centre of a housing estate in Tuam, visible in the photo below. All areas that have been excavated are outlined in colour and all areas that are considered completed are hatched.
Red outline: Hand excavation of the area around the exterior of the subsurface vaulted structure was completed. The foundation cut for the construction of the subterranean chamber, originally built in the 1840’s, was clearly identified. See image below.
No excavation took place in Tent 1 during this period. Tent 1 was dismantled and a larger Tent, Tent 3 was erected, encompassing this area.
Yellow outline: During this reporting period hand-excavation of accessible institutional remains continued under forensic control in Tent 2. Tent 2 was also dismantled and Tent 3 now also covers the full extent of this area.
Tent 3 is a new modular tent that can also be expanded and reduced as needs require on site. Significant preparatory work was undertaken to protect the ground and dismantle the previous tents and erect Tent 3. Tent 3 will allow ODAIT to excavate the entire area up to and beyond the old boundary wall of the institution’s grounds as required by the forensic excavation.
Blue outline: The area of the blue outline is now completed, apart from the base of a subsurface well. This well has been excavated to a depth of four metres, and further excavation is on temporary hold for health and safety reasons.
Green outline: These areas are completed and reported on in previous updates.
Human remains
Red outline – Tent 1
No further excavations took place under Tent 1 during this reporting period. As reported on in earlier updates, the remains of 77 infants were recovered from this location.
Red outline – Subterranean chamber
As outlined in Technical Update 8, disarticulated human remains (individual bones) from at least one infant were recovered during the excavation of the subterranean chamber. During this reporting period, all the sediment recovered from the excavation of the subterranean chamber was carefully sieved and sorted. In addition, three adult teeth were found at the base of the subterranean chamber, which will now be analysed.
Yellow outline – Tent 2
Forensic recovery of buried human remains continued under Tent 2 during this reporting period. The remains of a further 10 infants were recovered, evidence of coffins were present in all cases. This brings the total recovered from this location to 32 infants and the total institutional human remains recovered on site to 109 individuals.
Recovery of all accessible Mother and Baby Institution remains has been completed in Tent 2, excavation was then paused to allow the dismantling of the current tent and the erection of Tent 3.
Artefacts
Artefactual evidence from all historic periods represented on site continues to be discovered on site.
Identification Programme
The Identification Programme team continued to engage with families to assist them in their application process.
As part of the next steps to amend the Institutional Burials Legislation to include first cousins as eligible family members, officials in the Department of Children, Equality and Disability worked with the Office of the Attorney General to prepare the necessary amendments. The Bill has now been brought to Government and is expected to be published in the coming days, following which it will proceed through the Houses of the Oireachtas as part of the legislative process.
During this reporting period, ODAIT collected an additional 12 DNA reference samples which have been delivered to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI). This brings the total number of DNA reference samples taken to 74.
ODAIT would encourage anyone who believes they may have a family member buried at the site of the former Tuam Mother and Baby Institution to contact our office. Our team can answer any questions and help guide you through the process. You can call +353 (0)1 539 1777, email info@dait.ie or visit our website www.odait.ie for more information. ODAIT’s public information campaign will launch in November.
Multidisciplinary Scientific Analysis
Forensic analysis is now underway in the recently opened Forensic Facility and Mortuary, located close to the excavation site, in Tuam. Forensic anthropologists are undertaking the analysis, ensuring all human remains recovered are examined with care and treated with dignity throughout the forensic process.
About the Excavation
Excavation at the site of the former Tuam Mother and Baby Institution is being conducted by the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam under the Institutional Burials Act 2022.
In its day-to-day work, the ODAIT Forensic Excavation Team on site is led by the site co-ordinator. The team includes forensic archaeologists, osteoarchaeologists and forensic anthropologists, as well as a forensic evidence manager and a forensic photographer. They are supported by a main contractor who has supplied a team of construction professionals including skilled machine operators.
Forensic excavation commenced on 14th July 2025. This report covers weeks 52 to 63 of the forensic excavation works on site, covering progress up until close of business (COB) on Wednesday 30th September 2026. ODAIT will provide updates first to families and survivors and to the media and wider public on a bi-monthly basis. The next technical update will issue in early December 2026.
