THE GROUP REPRESENTING survivors and relatives of people who once resided at the mother and baby home in Bessborough, Co Cork, has filed for a judicial review of plans to build apartments on the site.

The Bessborough Mother and Baby Home Support Group submitted the filing to the High Court this week. 

In July, An Coimisiún Pleanála granted permission to private developer Estuary View Enterprises to build 106 apartments on the site at Bessborough, a decision made following an appeal. 

The home was run by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and operated between 1922 and 1998.

The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes’ report found almost 20,000 women and children were admitted during that time.

Only 64 have known graves, meaning the burial places of 859 children are unknown.

Some 31 women died in the mother and baby home, but the commission only found death registration records for 29 of the women.

The fate of the site, where survivors and their relatives believe the bodies of the deceased may be buried, has been fiercely debated in the Dáil this year.

Opposition parties have repeatedly raised the issue and pushed the government to intervene in the planning process, while calling for the site to be excavated.