Magdalene Laundry Survivors to Find out Extent of Redress Scheme

Irish Examiner
June 26, 2013

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/magdalene-laundry-survivors-to-find-out-extent-of-redress-scheme-598514.html


The details of the compensation scheme for the survivors of the Magdalene Laundries will be published today.

It follows a three-month review by former High Court judge, Mr Justice John Quirke, and it is understood the redress fund could be up to €50m.

The redress scheme comes after a report by former Senator Martin McAleese found that the State had a hand in around a quarter of admissions to the laundries, which were workhouses run by four religious orders between 1922 and 1996.

Last February, the Taoiseach Enda Kenny offered an emotional apology to the women involved and promised to compensate them.

The fund will be available to around 700 women who were incarcerated in the launderies, and reports today suggest it will be somewhere between €25m and €50m.

It is reported that payments are expected to range from between €10,000-€100,000 per person, depending on the length of stay of women in the laundries.

However, it is understood there are no proposals for a reconcilation forum with the four religious congregations.