A junior minister is calling for a garda inquiry into the deaths of hundreds of babies and infants at a mother and baby home in Galway.

It comes after revelations that the remains of almost 800 babies were buried in a mass grave next to a home for unmarried mothers in Tuam, Co. Galway between 1925 and 1961.

The Tuam Mother and Baby Home was run by the Bons Secours nuns.

The Adoption Rights Alliance group has said it has anecdotal evidence that babies with disabilities or other health issues - which made them unlikely to be adopted overseas - were not cared for properly and were allowed to die.

Minister Ciaran Cannon says the sketchy information emerging seems to indicate that children were neglected at the institution.

He is calling for a State inquiry into the deaths involving the Departments of Justice, Children and Education - but he believes gardai should also be involved.

He told Newstalk Lunchtime that more details need to emerge as to what happened to these children.