BishopAccountability.org
	Jfm Welcomes Appointment of Chair for Inter-departmental Committee on Magdalene Laundries Justice for Magdalenes July 4, 2011 http://www.magdalenelaundries.com/press/JFM%20PR%2001-07-11.pdf [full text] Justice for Magdalenes (JFM), the survivor advocacy group, welcomes the government’s announcement today of Dr. Martin McAleese as the Chair of the Inter-Departmental Committee that will seek to clarify State interaction with the Magdalene Laundries. Dr. McAleese was recently appointed as a Taoiseach’s nominee to the Seanad and is the husband of President Mary McAleese. JFM is committed to working with Dr. McAleese if our group can be of assistance in helping to establish the narrative of State interaction, which is part of the Committee’s charge. We are also prepared to meet with Dr. McAleese if he deems that helpful JFM continues to maintain, however, that much work remains to be done, and looks forward to working with Dr. McAleese, the State and the religious congregations in the coming weeks and months to bring about a prompt and timely resolution to this “restorative and reconciliation process”. JFM has already proposed a structure that might be utilized to facilitate this process, which the UN Committee Against Torture has recommended that the government examine more closely. A delegation from the advocacy group is scheduled to meet with Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter, and Minister for State, Kathleen Lynch, next week to begin the process. JFM will also conduct a public forum on Tuesday, 5th July, at UCD's Humanities Institute of Ireland on the Belfield Campus. Beginning at 10 a.m. in the "Seminar Room," JFM will again present its Narrative of State Interaction with the Magdalene Laundries to members of the public and to survivors, who are welcome to attend. The forum will also be advertised via Facebook, Twitter and other media outlets. Members of the media are also welcome to attend, and members of the JFM delegation will make themselves available afterward for questions/interviews. For directions, see http://www.ucd.ie/hii/facilities/directionstothehii/. The venue is wheelchair accessible.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.