Cabinet to Discuss Response to Magdalene Laundries Report before Dail Debate

RTE News
February 19, 2013

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0219/368465-maglalene-report-government/

Enda Kenny is expected to issue an apology during the Dáil debate on the McAleese Report

The Cabinet is to hold a special meeting this evening to agree the details of the Government's response to the McAleese Report into the Magdalene Laundries.

Ministers are likely to discuss the wording of any apology and the shape of any redress or compensation scheme.

The meeting will be held before the Dáil debate on the report begins.

The Taoiseach is expected to begin the statements on the report at around 6.30pm, followed by the leaders of all the other parties.

A spokesperson for the Justice for Magdalenes group has said she hopes any apology from the Taoiseach to the survivors of laundries will acknowledge the human rights abuses and the effects on the women.

Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Dr Catherine O'Donnell said she hoped the apology would take account of the State's involvement in the laundry system.

She said: "The apology expected today is going to be important, very important for the women and very important for the country."

Dr O'Donnell said the apology would be the start of taking responsibility for the discrimination that the women suffer and stepping up to guarantee that such human rights abuses never happen again.

She said she welcomed indications that the Government is to offer some form of compensation on an individual case-by-case basis as a compassionate gesture to the women.

Thirty TDs and Senators are attending a briefing by the Justice for Magdalenes campaign ahead of the Dáil debate.

A spokesperson for the group said it was seeking an apology to survivors for the long-term effects on their lives of incarceration and enforced labour.

She also said the women should be compensated and that it had suggested a benchmark figure of €100,000 each to reflect what the campaign knew women and girls had endured in the institutions.

Representatives of Amnesty International and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties are also at the briefing.

Magdalene women are expected to attend the Dáil debate this evening and tomorrow.

Earlier, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said the Government had been determined to do what was right for the women who went through the laundries.

Two weeks ago, the Taoiseach and the Government were criticised for their response in the aftermath of the report's publication.

Mr Kenny has since met survivors' groups in Ireland and London.

The groups said they were satisfied with his response and were confident an apology would be forthcoming.

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin said a more reflected view can now be taken regarding the report.

Speaking on his way into Government Buildings, Mr Howlin said he had no doubt the Taoiseach's statement will embrace the content of the report and the views of the survivors.