The home run by the Bon Secours Sisters on behalf of Galway County Council operated in 1925-1961 as a Catholic-run institution for unmarried mothers and their children.
In 2014 historian Catherine Corless discovered 796 infants and children had died there, and a subsequent investigation found many had been buried in an unmarked mass grave within a former septic tank.
The search for human remains, which began last July, now extends to several areas of the grounds. The Independent State Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention in Tuam said the latest discovery of infants had indicated they were buried in coffins, which have since decayed.
“In a small number of instances, two or three individuals were buried in the same coffin,” it said.
The office said separate evidence indicated some burials were disturbed in the creation of a feature in a 3m area, through the use of a mechanical digger. The area has been backfilled with sand, gravel and building debris.
An examination of available aerial photography indicates this disturbance took place after 1977. The office said “further excavation will assist in establishing a more accurate time frame”.
Within the grounds the area of the former yard is now resolved, with the exception of the subsurface well. The well shaft has been excavated to a depth of 4m with further work required as the base of the structure has not yet been reached..
Hand excavation is continuing in another area covered by a tent. This area was identified in historical documents as a “burial ground”. However, there are no headstones or surface markers for these burials. The office said the evidence it has recovered is consistent with the location being a burial ground from the time of the operation of the mother and baby institution.
A programme to identify the remains of the infants and babies is also under way. Five more people have come forward to contribute DNA samples, bringing the total to 33.
The team will be taking more samples over the coming weeks in Ireland, the UK and US. A public information campaign to encourage more people to come forward is also planned.
The Independent State Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention said anyone who believes they may have a family member buried at the site of the former home should make contact.