It comes after an appeal against the development was broadly dismissed by An Coimisiún Pleanála earlier this month, leaving a compulsory purchase order (CPO) as the only legal mechanism likely to stop the project from going ahead.
Cork City Council voted unanimously in favour of a motion calling for a CPO, and this week the petition seeking to halt development crossed 14,000 signatures.
The petition was set up by Carmel Cantwell, whose mother, Bridget, is a survivor of the Bessborough Mother and Baby Home. It was there that her child was taken from her and buried in an unmarked grave, and since hearing the story, Carmel has fought tooth and nail to help other survivors, as well as the hundreds of children whose remains are still believed to be buried at the site.
When the decision was handed down by An Coimisiún Pleanála earlier this month, Carmel says she was absolutely devastated.
"I couldn't believe what they were telling me, all that effort, the campaigns, the rallies, the protests, I thought it would make a difference. We were devastated when we learned of the decision, and all day I was getting phone calls and messages from other people who couldn't believe what they were hearing," she told CorkBeo.
"What I can't understand is that Cork city councillors have now voted unanimously for a compulsory purchase order, while upstairs in a different department, they made a totally different decision, which isn't in tune with the people or their public representatives. We've received cross-party support with TDs and Senators bringing up Bessborough in the Dáil, and the Taoiseach has even expressed in the past that he would like to see the site turned into parkland."
The council initially approved the application in February of this year, granting permission to Estuary View Enterprises 2020 Limited to construct 140 apartments at the site. The appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála upheld the decision, but reduced the overall number of units to 106 as one block was deemed to be too close to a protected structure.
The Taoiseach has now requested that Cork City Council negotiate with the landowner to see if an agreement can be reached, and it's understood that the Government is willing to provide financial support to assist with a CPO.
Carmel and other advocates from the Bessboro Mother and Baby Home Support Group have organised rallies and vigils in recent weeks to call attention to the development at the site, with plans to hold more in the coming months should the process drag on. Carmel says she hopes to meet with the Taoiseach on the matter in the near future.
"I hope the petition helps, and we're set to bring it to the Taoiseach. We're just waiting for a gap in his diary, and he has asked the council to examine the matter, but those meetings will probably be held behind closed doors," she said.
Carmel says that after years of fighting for the survivors and children of Bessbrough, the response to the petition has been remarkable.
"It makes me feel like I'm not alone, it shows we have a lot of people behind us, and I can't begin to tell you about all the people who have helped. The survivors, the supporters, it's really been remarkable."
You can find the petition here.