Minister says it’s not possible to put a timeline in place for Tuam excavation

Children's Minister Roderick O'Gorman says it's not possible to put a timeline in place for the excavation at the former Mother and Baby Home in Tuam.

The Government today appointed former Red Cross committee member and University of Galway graduate Daniel MacSweeney to oversee the operation

Mr Mac Sweeney will head up the independent Office set up to oversee the sensitive work of ensuring the children’s remains at the Tuam site are recovered and re-interred in a respectful and appropriate way. 

A key priority for Mr Mac Sweeney will be to engage with relatives, survivors and former residents of the Tuam institution in relation to the intervention 

The Equality Minister has also appointed former head of the INTO, Sheila Nunan, to negotiate on behalf of the Department with the religious organisations involved in these institutions.

However Minister Roderic O'Gorman has said the excavation is a massive undertaking, which means that there is no firm timeline