Justice for Magdalenes Publishes Survivor Guide

By Patsy McGarry
Irish Times
April 2, 2013

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/justice-for-magdalenes-publishes-survivor-guide-1.1345727

Justice for Magdalenes prepared its guide in response to requests for guidance from women who had been in the laundries, their relatives and some politicians

Anxiety that Magdalene women in diaspora be made aware of Government fund

The Justice for Magdalenes advocacy group has published a guide for women who were incarcerated in the Magdalene laundries as they prepare to engage with the Government Magdalene Fund. Titled Survivor Guide to Magdalen Commission , it is available at magdalenelaundries.com.

Following the official State apology by Taoiseach Enda Kenny on February 19th, the Government asked Mr Justice John Quirke to undertake a three-month review following which he is to make recommendations on criteria for applications to the Magdalene Fund.

Women who had been in the laundries and who have not already registered with the Magdalene Commission are encouraged to do so.

The group’s guide is intended solely as an aid to the women. Its purpose is to help them and their families create a checklist of their current needs.

The group has emphasised that it is not intended to supplant or replace any official documents created by the Magdalene Commission or the Irish State and that it is being offered solely to help the women engage with the statutory process.

It was prepared by the advocacy group as a practical response to requests for guidance made to it by some women who had been in the laundries, their relatives and some politicians.

It has also been supplied to other Magdalene support groups as well as to relevant NGOs, citizens information and family resource centres.

The Justice for Magdalenes group is particularly anxious that survivors not affiliated or aligned with any support group, as well as those among the wider Irish diaspora, are made aware of the need to register with the Magdalene Commission .