Plan for Tuam Site Should Not Be up to Coroner, Says Ex-mayor

By Lorna Siggins
Irish Times
March 10, 2017

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/plan-for-tuam-site-should-not-be-up-to-coroner-says-ex-mayor-1.3005963?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fireland%2Firish-news%2Fplan-for-tuam-site-should-not-be-up-to-coroner-says-ex-mayor-1.3005963

Shrine on part of the site of the former Mother and Baby home in Tuam. “Exhumation would cause a lot of upset.” Photograph: Peter Nicholls/Reuters

The decision on the future of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home burial site is “too big” for the coroner to make on his own, former Galway county mayor Peter Roche has said.

The Fine Gael councillor also says there should be no exhumation at the site. He has suggested instead that the site where up to 800 infants may be buried should be dedicated in their name, but that there should be widespread consultation with affected families and other stakeholders before any final decision is taken.

Cllr Roche told The Irish Times he believes Archbishop of Tuam Dr Michael Neary “may have been premature” in suggesting reinterment, given certain views about the role of the Catholic Church.

“It is also regrettable that the coroner has been charged as the only person who can take the next step,” Cllr Roche said. “It shouldn’t be left to him when there are so many people whose views need to be taken into account.