The Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam was established on 4 October 2022 by the Institutional Burials Act 2022 (Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam) Order 2022 (S.I. No. 518 of 2022) and the Director, Daniel MacSweeney, was appointed by Minister Roderic O’Gorman on 22 May 2023 to oversee the important and highly sensitive work concerning the children’s remains at the site of the former Mother and Baby Institution in Tuam.
ODAIT’s work is governed by the Institutional Burials Act 2022 (the Act) and the Director’s powers and independence are grounded in that legislation.
Under the Act, the Director is required to conduct all excavation, recovery and post-recovery analysis of human remains to international standards and best practice. A project like this will present many forensic and scientific challenges which could impact the success of the DNA programme. Where possible, human remains that are recovered at the site will be identified and individualised, and where feasible circumstances and cause of death will be established. Identified remains will be returned to their families for burial or cremation (as families decide) and unidentified remains will be buried with dignity and respect.
The work of ODAIT is conducted with accountability, dignity and respect, with persons affected by the Tuam Mother and Baby Institution (survivors, families, their advocates) at its centre. Under the Act, ODAIT must respect international standards and best practice at all times.
The key functions of the Office are as follows:
- Arrange for the forensic excavation and recovery of human remains buried in a manifestly inappropriate manner on principal burial land.
- Arrange for the post-recovery analysis of human remains after forensic excavation and recovery of those remains.
- Arrange for the carrying out of remedial works to the land on completion of the recovery of human remains from the land.
- Undertake an Identification Programme.
- Make final arrangements for human remains recovered from principal burial land.
The Director will employ or contract the range of expertise and disciplines needed to fulfil these objectives to international standards and best practice. He will provide updates on the work of the Office to relatives of persons believed to be buried at the site, other stakeholders and the general public. The Director intends to undertake a DNA-led programme of identification for the Tuam intervention. He will also publish a final report on the process and findings.
