Records are unclear on the outcome of many of the children born in the home[6] Survivors describe regular physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, particularly while being boarded out.
While there is no documentary evidence of racism in the records, some sources suggest that staff may have had a negative bias to mixed-race babies though reports are conflicting.
Another important influence was the increased demand for adoptive babies among couples in the United States which meant that healthy Irish children became a valuable commodity.
[1][11][12][13][14] In 2015, the Government of Ireland announced the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation into historical mistreatment of women and children at several institutions, including St Patrick's.
[16] The transfer of data caused national discussion and controversy, with strong criticism from survivors of Mother and Baby Homes and their supporters.