Infant remains have been recovered from the site of the former mother-and-baby home in Tuam, Co Galway, as excavation work there continues.
However, at this stage, it has not been determined if the bones date from the period during which the institution operated, between 1925 and 1961.
Radiocarbon dating is being carried out to determine the 'era of origin' of seven sets of remains that were recovered from part of the site in recent weeks. This is expected to take a number of months to complete.
In its latest update, the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention in Tuam (ODAIT) said a further two sets of remains were found in a separate location over the last four weeks.
These date from the time when a workhouse operated, during the mid 19th to early 20th Century.
The ODAIT has previously cautioned that the multiple uses of the site over the last 200 years would complicate the excavation task.
At various times it served as a workhouse, a military barracks and a mother-and-baby home.
The infant skeletal remains were recovered from an area adjacent to an underground vaulted structure indicated on workhouse plans.
These are separate to other underground chambers on the site, where "significant quantities of human remains" have already been located, but have yet to be exhumed.
The entire site has been divided into sections, as archaeologists carry out a methodical examination.
The ODAIT said excavation work has now concluded in the area that comprised the workhouse yard. No human remains have been found there.
Hand and machine digging is continuing at a number of other locations.
Numerous objects have been found during the course of these efforts, including glass, pottery and metal items.
In addition, large amounts of animal bone have been recovered, all thought to have been disposed of as cooking waste.
As well as overseeing the detailed examination of the site, the ODAIT is also charged with identifying, where possible, any remains linked to the mother-and-baby home.
This will involve cross referencing DNA samples from the bones with those of survivors or descendants of those who died there.
Those who have expressed an interest in providing a sample will be contacted in the coming weeks.
