An inclusive, consultative process reflecting ODAIT’s values will be launched to listen to families (both eligible family members and relatives who fall outside this definition e.g. cousins), survivors and the community with respect to the form of memorialisation and appropriate final arrangements that will be undertaken, being at all times mindful of the sensitivity of the issue and the condition of the human remains recovered. Restoring dignity in death and, where possible, an identity is the core mission of ODAIT.
Memorialisation is a key component of the Tuam intervention, particularly given the scientific challenges anticipated with respect to the identification and individualisation of human remains. A Family Liaison is being appointed from early 2025, and they will lead this process.
It is possible that for some human remains recovered from the Site, no familial link will be established. This could happen for various reasons including:
- DNA testing is not viable for all of the human remains due to the size, condition and/or number of individual skeletal samples recovered
- The DNA obtained from the human remains is not of a sufficient quantity or quality to enable a DNA comparison
- No eligible family member(s) has come forward to give a DNA sample
- An eligible family member(s) has come forward to give a DNA sample, but a DNA match is not achieved