The Dáil is hearing statements on the Bessborough Development.
Minister for Children Norma Foley noted that planning permission has been given for residential construction at the former Bessborough Mother and Baby Home in Cork.
"Main works are expected to commence later this year," she said.
Cork City Council has "attached a number of conditions, including requirements to have a forensic archaeological monitoring strategy," the minister said, "and a forensic archaeologist in place to monitor excavation exercise every single day".
The proposed 140-unit apartment development has been met with intense controversy, legal challenges, and strong objections from survivor groups.
They point out that the remains of many children have not been recovered from the site.
"I fully acknowledge the trauma that must come with not knowing the very location of one of one's family members," Minister Foley told the Dáil this afternoon.
"I acknowledge that the application to build on privately owned lands at Bessborough, and the granting of planning permission for that application, has reawakened so much of that trauma."
Sinn Féin's Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said that this issue should have been anticipated and dealt with by the Government.
"It is profoundly wrong and hurtful to build there", he said, adding: "It's absolutely appalling."
The deputy stated this is a current issue: "This is not only history and we would make a profound mistake to treat this as only a period that can be looked back on and to be examined in a historical context."
"There are people in the gallery, there are people watching in, whose brothers, sisters, mothers were in Bessborough."
