Overview

• Excavation began on July 14 at the former St Mary’s mother and baby home in Tuam, County Galway, targeting the unmarked burial site of up to 796 infants and children.
• Ireland’s Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention is leading the two-year dig with a multidisciplinary team of archaeologists, anthropologists and crime-scene experts from six countries.
• DNA samples have been collected from around 30 relatives and will be expanded in coming months to match genetic profiles with recovered remains.
• A 2.4-metre-high hoarding and 24-hour security monitoring surround the site to preserve forensic integrity throughout the excavation.
• Legislation requires the operation to follow crime-scene procedures and to involve the coroner or Gardaí immediately if evidence of unlawful death emerges.