Magdalene Survivor Groups Criticise Nuns over Refusal to Contribute to Redress

RTE News
July 16, 2013

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0716/462816-magdalenes-laundries/

The four orders of nuns have said that they will contribute to the support package for the women in other ways including caring for about 100 of the women

Groups representing survivors of the the Magdalene Laundries have criticised religious congregations that owned laundries for their refusal to contribute towards the redress fund for survivors.

London-based Irish Womens Survivors Network Sally Mulready said she was concerned that survivors would feel that the nuns were saying that they did not think much of the women's plight.

Magdalenes Survivors Together spokesman Stephen O'Riordan said he was flabbergasted by the refusal given that the orders of nuns concerned were responsible for most of the injustice suffered by the women detained in the institutions.

The four orders of nuns have said that they will contribute to the support package for the women in other ways including caring for about 100 of the women.

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice has said that Minister Alan Shatter would be discussing the nuns' decision with other ministers at today's cabinet meeting.

Recently he said ministers would be disappointed were the nuns to refuse to contribute towards the redress fund.