Young mums and adoptive parents of children also duped into handing over cash to nuns in 40s, 50s and 60s.

Patricia Devlin
NUNS were doctoring the books of two notorious mother and baby institutions to fraudulently claim government cash for single mothers no longer there.

Adoptive parents and young mums were also duped into handing over money on a monthly basis for the “care” of babies, some which had already left the facilities in Co Cork and Galway.

The shocking claims are the latest in a line of damning allegations made in a leaked HSE report surrounding Bessboro and Tuam ‘homes’,

Yesterday The Star told how HSE chiefs had uncovered evidence in 2012 that nuns were falsifying the deaths of babies during the 40s and 50s before sending them for adoption in the USA.

Former HSE family and children assistant director Phil Garland yesterday said the authority and the government ‘ignored’ the draft reports.

Last night campaign organisation United Survivors Group said it had made an official complaint to gardai on the back of The Star’s report.

The group says it wants a full criminal investigation into all those who had access to the material written by top consultant Dr Declan McKeown who warned: “This may prove to be a scandal that dwarfs other.”

Dr McKeown – who declined to comment when contacted by this newspaper – further laid bare the level of financial deceit employed by the church towards the State.

In a draft report dated October 17, 2012, he wrote: “It is reported that during the period in question that, once a mother and child had been discharged from the home, two dates were routinely recorded.

“The first date of discharge listed is the date when the woman was geographically discharged from Bessboro, while the second date appears to function for administrative purposes, denoting when the woman was discharged from the institution’s books.
“These dates are separated in some instances by years. It is alleged that the home was claiming monies form the government during this period when the mother and baby were still ‘on the books’ but not physically present in the home.”

The report goes on to highlight more financial irregularities in the Co Cork facility’s books.
“…it appears that monies were paid both by the natural mothers for the care of their babies, and by their adoptive parents.
“The latter were requested to pay significant sums of money for the time, in the region of £50-£60, and this was payable by monthly premium.”
In Tuam Dr McKeown said: “…there are reported examples of parents receiving bills for the upkeep of their children who had been discharged some time before.
“In common with Bessboro there is some evidence of coercion in that women were forced to stay in the home with their babies until well past the point that they were fit for discharge.

“During this time parents were charged with the upkeep of their children but it appears now that adoptive parents were also charged for the upkeep of the same baby.

“Babies were offered for adoption from the Bessboro and Tuam homes at up to three years of age. The trauma involved in this is revealed in an archive of photographs of children who were sent for adoption to the USA. This practice largely halted at the introduction of adoption legislation in the 1950s.”

Dr McKeown also raised “deep concerns” surrounding uncovered correspondence uncovered from senior church figures.
The letters sent to the Sacred Heart facility, from senior clergy including bishops, allegedly request that babies be made available for adoption.

“These children were subsequently removed from their birth mother, in many cases as old as three years, and then submitted for adoption,” it said.
He also revealed how investigators had uncovered evidence of some women being moved within a “network of Convents and Religious Orders” in Ireland and the UK from the Cork home. A number of these facilities, which included schools in Liverpool and London, were listed.

The report concluded:  “Children, if not the mothers who passed trough these systems are likely to still be alive and at the very least any knowledge of their histories should be fully investigated and made available to them if they so choose.”

Yesterday The Star revealed how Phil Garland, a former Family and Children Services Assistant Director said two ministers had been passed damning allegations.

However both departments who worked under then Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald and Health Minister James Reilly denied they were aware of the draft reports.

Victims Group make Garda complaint

A VICTIM’S group has made an official complaint to An Garda Siochana over revelations in yesterday’s Star surrounding two mother and baby institutions.
United Survivors Group confirmed last night members had visited Garda HQ in Dublin to report shocking claims made in a leaked HSE report surrounding practices Bessborough facility, Co Cork and Co Galway’s Sacred Heart institution.
The allegations included how nuns were falsifying the deaths of babies before selling them for adoption in the USA.
In a statement issued to The Star last night, a spokesperson said: “We strongly recommend that all those named in the file note/memo dated the 12th October 2012 and the two confidential draft briefs dated the 12th and 17th October 2012, and all other parties who had access to the serious issues raised therein should be questioned under the 2006 Criminal Justice Act.”
Independent Clondalkin councillor Francis Timmons has also called for the Justice Minister to launch an independent investigation into the unpublished reports.
He added: “I believe these documents should be fully investigated by the Garda Commissioner and that all people involved by fully questioned and held to account for their actions.
“I also call on Minister Fitzgerald and Senator Reilly to comment on what they were informed of in relation to the issues raised by yesterday’s article when they were Minister for Children and what steps they took. I have put in an official complaint to the Garda Commissioner’s office.
Cllr Timmons added: “The enormous damage done to thousands of people by the Church and State needs to be exposed and all cover ups and illegal activity must be dealt with by the Justice system. Ireland must deal with its past actions and the woman and children wronged by the state must get truth and justice‘’
Anyone affected by the revelations is asked to contact United Survivors group via the its official website; [http://www.unitedsurvivorsgroup,com]www.unitedsurvivorsgroup,com; or email on info@unitedsurvivorsgroup.com or telephone on 085-1942256, between the hours of 7 pm and 9 pm Monday to Friday.