TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has asked Cork City Council to engage with the landowners of the former Bessborough mother and baby home to explore “all options” for the future of the site.

Last week, An Coimisiún Pleanála granted permission to private developer Estuary View Enterprises to build 106 apartments on the site. The decision was made following an appeal. 

The plans have faced fierce opposition from campaigners and survivors for years. Some have said they are prepared to chain themselves to diggers to prevent the building of apartments at the site.

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. It estimated that 923 children died while resident at Bessborough.

Only 64 have known graves, meaning the burial place of 859 children is unknown.

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

I have asked Cork City Council to engage with the landowners at Bessborough with a view to exploring all options for the future of the site.

Bessborough is of huge importance to many people and families, at home and abroad.

We need to do the right thing for all concerned.

— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) July 17, 2026

In a statement on social media, Micheál Martin said Bessborough “is of huge importance to many people and families, at home and abroad”.

“We need to do the right thing for all concerned,” he said.

‘Must not be only step’

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has given a “cautious welcome” to the move, after she twice clashed with the Fianna Fáil over the matter during Leaders’ Questions this week. 

“On two occasions in the Dáil this week, I urged the Taoiseach to intervene and ensure that apartments were not built on a potential mass grave of infants at Bessborough,” Cairns said in a statement.

“It was not clear that he was going to act, but I welcome his statement today that he has asked Cork City Council to engage with landowners at Bessborough with a view to exploring all options for the site. This is an important first step, but it must not be the only one.”

Cairns acknowledged the work of the campaigners “who fought tirelessly to protect this site and never should have had to”. 

“Councillors on Cork City Council have voted, on two separate occasions, to buy the land at Bessborough. The most recent vote was Monday. However, they have been told they do not have the money the purchase it.

“The Taoiseach has now said “we need to do the right thing” when it comes to Bessborough. The right thing would be turning the grounds into a site of conscience.”

She called on Martin to unseal all records about burials from the Mother and Baby Homes Commission and request that the Attorney General order an inquest into the deaths of the hundreds of women and children who died there.

These women and children were failed by the State in life. We must not fail them in death.

Labour senator Laura Harmon also welcomed Martin’s “timely intervention” and said clarity was needed that the site will be brought back into state ownership and protected from being built on. 

“This is the key ask of survivors and families all along. We cannot cement over this dark history when many survivors still have questions about their loved ones. The site should be a public memorial,” she said. 

“Survivors have been let down before so many times and we will continue to campaign until we have certainty that the site will be protected.”

A protest will be held outside Cork Library at 2.30pm tomorrow against the proposed apartment development on the site.