In a statement released this afternoon, People Before Profit have called for the Bon Secours sisters to make a full and unreserved apology to the victims of Tuam.

They have also called for them to open up all their files on the Mother and Baby Homes for public scrutiny. 

Bríd Smith from the People Before People Profit Alliance said "The case of the Tuam babies is one of the most sickening and disturbing stories of our time.

"At the very least there is a case of deliberate neglect of children born outside marriage which led to death by malnutrition.

"People Before Profit are calling for the Bon Secours group, who are at the centre of this case, to transfer assets to a memorial to victims of their catholic fundamentalism.

"The Bon Secours nuns should also seriously question whether they should disband as an organisation because they have conspired to cover up the unnecessary deaths of hundreds of little children.

"This is an act of the most disgusting and criminal nature."

Moral authority 

She continued by saying "After this case, the Catholic Church has lost all moral authority to comment on how women exert control over their bodies and their sexuality.

"Never again can we as a state allow women to be criminalised for either having children or choosing not to have children.

"For too long the Church and the State have tried to control women and their bodies by telling them they cannot have abortions whilst pushing them into Mother and Baby Homes like Tuam.

"Only women must be able to choose what they want to do with their own bodies, neither the Church nor the State.

She finished by saying "Next week the Dail will debate a bill to remove a clause in the Protection of Life and Pregnancy Act which imposes a potential 14 year jail sentence on those who take an abortion pill. In light of the Tuam baby scandal it could not be more timely."