The Children's Minister Katherine Zappone has written a letter to Pope Francis, outlining the Tuam babies case.

It comes as the Pope thanked Minister Zappone for bringing the case to his attention.

Minister Zappone met the Pontiff briefly on Saturday at Áras an Uachtaráin, as part of his two day visit here.

He has since said he will study a report on Tuam, given to him by the minister.

A Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation (MBHCOI) identified human remains in 17 out of 20 chambers discovered in an elongated structure within the boundaries of the former site of the Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, Co Galway.

The report identified the number of deaths from the General Registers Office of 796 children during the years 1925-1961.

Minister Zappone has said she believed the Pope knew what she was talking about when she mentioned Tuam.

"A clear sense of recognition crossed his face.

"I have written him a letter - it outlines the background of Tuam - again - what was found there, that we also have a Commission of Investigation.

"At the end of the letter, though, I said again I believe though that the church ought to share the costs and share reparation for what happened there - and that I expect that that will happen".

In her letter, Minister Zappone wrote: "The Commission's excavations have revealed that human remains are visible in a series of chambers that may have formed part of sewage treatment works for the Home.

"The Commission believes that there are a significant number of children's remains there.

"It recovered some juvenile remains for detailed forensic analysis. From this analysis, it has determined that the remains are between 35 foetal weeks and two to three years of age.

"From carbon dating it has correlated the age of these samples with the time period during which the home was in operation - between 1925 and 1961."

Children's Minister Katherine Zappone | File photo

"There were suspicions about burials of this kind in Tuam for some time.. However, it is fair to say that the confirmation received from the Commission of Investigation caused many people to demand that dignity and respect be afforded to the memory of the children who lived their short lives in this Home.

"We also owe it to the families of these children to now do the right thing by their loved ones."

"There was little compassion shown to children and their mothers in this home.

"We cannot change what happened to them. For the little ones whose remains are in a sewage system, we owe them dignity in death. For their mothers, siblings and families we need to give them some peace.

"It is my strong conviction that given the role of the Church in this shameful chapter of recent Irish history it must play a practical role in addressing the hurt and damage.

"I believe that the church should contribute substantially to the cost of whatever option is decided by the Government.

"This should be done willingly, unconditionally and quickly. Nothing less will demonstrate remorse."

"I thanked her for this"

While speaking on his flight to Rome from Dublin on Sunday, Pope Francis said: "The minister (Zappone) said first something that was not so much on mother children.

"But she was brief, she said, 'Holy Father we have found common graves, children buried. And we are investigating. The church is involved in this.'

"But she said it in a very polite way, with much respect.

"I thanked her for this. It touched my heart, that is why I wanted to repeat it during my speech.

"It touched my heart that is why I wanted to repeat in the speech.

"Then she said she would send a memo. She was very very balanced."

"But she let me know that the church had something to look into. An example of constructive collaboration. A lament, a lament, that at one time the church had (facilitated this problem).

"That person had dignity that touched my heart. And now I have the memo that I will study at home."