Minister O’Gorman appoints Advisory Board to the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam

The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O' Gorman, TD, has today announced the appointment of members of the Advisory Board to the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam.

The Advisory Board will provide support and guidance to the Tuam Director in undertaking the complex and highly sensitive intervention at the site of the former Mother and Baby institution in Tuam. The Director, Mr Daniel MacSweeney, who was appointed by the Minister in May, will consult with the Advisory Board at regular intervals, including at key decision points in the intervention.

In line with the provisions of the Institutional Burials Act 2022 the Tuam Advisory Board consists of: a chairperson who is a former coroner or someone with coronial expertise; two members with scientific expertise; a representative of Galway County Council; a former resident of the Tuam institution; and a family member of a person believed to be buried at the Tuam site.

The County Council representative has been nominated by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The other five positions were advertised via a call for Expressions of Interest, published on 27 June 2023.

The persons appointed to the positions are:

• Chairperson: Dr Brian Farrell, Dublin District Coroner emeritus and past President of the Coroner's Society of Ireland.

• Scientific Expert: Dr Barra O'Donnabhain, Department of Archaeology, University College Cork.

• Scientific Expert: Dr Denise Keating, Freelance Consultant Osteoarchaeologist.

• County Council representative: Alan Farrell, Director of Services (Corporate Services)

• Former resident: Peter Mulryan.

• Family member: Annette McKay.

Speaking today Minister O'Gorman said:

"I am pleased to make these appointments to the Advisory Board. The strong pool of experience and expertise will be an invaluable resource to the Director during what will no doubt be a highly complex intervention process.

In addition to being supported by this Advisory Board, the Tuam Director is committed to ongoing engagement with all those affected by the site."

Notes

• The Institutional Burials Act 2022, which came into effect on 15 July 2022, provides the underlying legislative basis for an intervention, whereby the remains of those who died in residential institutions, in respect of which a public body has or had a relevant role, and who were buried in a manifestly inappropriate manner, may be recovered and re-interred in a respectful and appropriate way.

• Last October the Government made an Order, under the Institutional Burials Act 2022, to direct the establishment of an independent Office to lead an intervention at the site of the former Mother and Baby Institution at Tuam. The making of the Order followed on from Resolutions in the Dáil and Seanad in September approving the draft Order that was agreed by Government in July.

• On 20 March this year the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth formally established the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention. On 22 May he appointed Mr Daniel Mac Sweeney as Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam to oversee the intervention at the site of the former Mother and Baby Institution, Tuam, Co. Galway.

• The selection process for Board members was in line with the process set out in the Expressions of Interest documentation, as follows:

o In respect of the chairperson and scientific expert positions, an assessment panel assessed the expressions of interest received against the specific appointment criteria.

o In respect of the former resident and family member positions, a random selection method was used, following a call for expressions of interest.

• The Local Authority representative was nominated by the Minister for Housing, Local Authority and Heritage.

• Once the Board members were selected/nominated, they were then recommended to the Minster for appointment to the Board.

• Further information on the functions and appointment of the Advisory Board, as well as terms and conditions of membership is set out in sections 13 to 17 of the Institutional Burials Act 2022.