Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns has expressed outrage at plans for a Strategic Housing Development and apartment blocks in the vicinity of Bessborough Mother and Baby Institution in Cork city.
After raising the issue with the Taoiseach in the Dáil today, Holly said:
“More than 900 children died while in the care of nuns at Bessborough, and the burial place of more than 800 of those children is unknown.
“The proposed development is to be built in an area documented as a children’s burial ground. Needless to say, this simply cannot be allowed to go ahead.
“The State has a history of facilitating the worst kinds of abuse and in recent months has unnecessarily compounded the suffering caused to survivors of Mother and Baby Homes.
“The Cork Survivors and Supporters Alliance want the planning applications for the Bessborough site withdrawn pending further investigation.
“I was disappointed with the response I received from the Taoiseach in the Dáil today when he said he could not intervene as it was a matter for An Bord Pleanála.
“This planning application is insensitive in the extreme and I will be objecting in the strongest possible terms to any housing development on this site.”
December 8, 2020