THIS AFTERNOON AT midday is the deadline for submissions to the Department of Children on the planned investigation of mother-and-baby homes.

A dedicated email address — motherandbabyhomes@dcya.gov.ie — was set up two weeks ago to allow the public to have their say on the inquiry.

Children’s Minister Charlie Flanagan announced last week that today would be the deadline for contributions “in order to adhere to the tight timeframe agreed”.

The Commission of Investigation into the country’s mother-and-baby homes was announced earlier this month in the wake of the controversy over the Tuam babies.

Flanagan has been meeting with survivors’ groups, campaigners, academics with expertise in the area, opposition politicians and religious leaders in recent weeks as part of the Government’s ongoing inter-departmental review.

There have been calls to have the Commission include many of the various Protestant-run children’s homes and orphanages, while one group said the investigation may have to examine activities in “around 100″ institutions in all.

“The Cross Departmental Review Committee continues to meet and is collecting a range of information in preparation for further detailed consideration by Government,” Flanagan said in a statement last week.

“Agreement on the terms of reference of the Commission is a matter for Government and it is my intention that the Oireachtas will agree the terms of reference under the Commission of Investigations Act 2004, before the summer recess.”

Read: It’s not just Tuam… Mother-and-baby probe needs to examine at least 100 institutions, Minister told

Exclusive: Children died of malnutrition, syphilis, heart failure at mother and baby home

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