Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I know the Minister, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, has met with the survivors in this case. I met with the survivors as well and the campaign group around Bessborough prior to this planning application going in, and my office has been in contact with them subsequent to the planning application going in. Obviously, it is a matter for An Bord Pleanála to decide on the application.

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However, it seems to me that the application is close to, if not on, the burial site itself, which is unacceptable. One cannot be building on a burial site. Initially, the survivors were anxious that it would be preserved as a burial site, which to me was a reasonable position to put forward. This relates to the Bessborough mother and baby home. There are other issues also. Given the low-lying nature of the land and its proximity to the shore, I am not clear that it is ideal territory for housing in any event but in terms of the sensitivity of the issue and the degree to which the survivors have approached this in a measured way from the very beginning of our engagement with them, I do not believe this is acceptable at all.

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