Associated Press offers Tuam apology

Reporting of burials in a septic tank ‘inaccurate’

The Associated Press (AP) news agency has issued an apology for its inaccurate reporting of the Tuam mother and baby burials.

The organisation, which is a source of news for media around the world reported on June 3 and June 8 that babies who died and were buried at the Tuam home had not been baptised and that this was in accordance with Church teaching at the time to deny such a sacrament to the offspring of unwed mothers.

AP also acknowledged that the reporting of burials in a septic tank was also inaccurate and accepted that only a full forensic examination of the site could offer the truth as to the burials.