Excavation has commenced at the site of a former home for unwed mothers in Ireland, where authorities believe the remains of approximately 800 infants and young children are buried.

“This is a very difficult and harrowing situation,” said Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin on Monday, adding, “We must await the outcome of the excavation.”

The Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home, located in western Ireland and operated by nuns, was one of many such institutions in the country during the 20th century. These homes housed unmarried pregnant women and a large number of orphans, according to the Associated Press.

In 2014, historian Catherine Corless located death certificates for almost 800 children who died at the Bon Secours home between the 1920s and 1961. However, the AP reports that she found only one burial record.

Investigators later discovered a mass grave on the property. DNA analysis revealed the presence of remains of infants and children ranging from 35 weeks gestation to 3 years old, the AP reported.

Daniel MacSweeney, who is leading the exhumation, said that family members and survivors will soon have the opportunity to visit the site.

“This is a unique and incredibly complex excavation,” MacSweeney stated.

Recovered remains will undergo analysis and preservation. Identified remains will be returned to families, while unidentified remains will be buried. The AP reports that the process is expected to take two years.

The sisters who formerly ran the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home have previously issued a “profound apology,” acknowledging their failure to protect the dignity of the women and children in their care, according to the AP.

In 2021, Prime Minister Martin issued a formal state apology following a report that found 9,000 children died in 18 mother-and-baby homes during the last century in Ireland.

Daniel MacSweeney and An Garda Síochána, Ireland’s National Police and Security Service, have not yet responded to requests for comment from Digital.

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