Compensation for Laundries Victims

Belfast Telegraph
November 7, 2013

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/republic-of-ireland/compensation-for-laundries-victims-29735688.html

Some survivors of the Magdalene laundries will be paid tax free compensation before Christmas, it has been revealed.

Lump sums will be paid over the next four to six weeks to some of the 205 women who have agreed to a payment ranging from 11,500 euro to 100,000 euro.

The maximum one-off payment will be 50,000 euro with any remaining money to be paid in weekly instalments over a year.

But the Magdalene Survivors Together group, which includes about 100 women, claimed their concerns over the low level of some lump sums and weekly instalments are not being taken on board.

"The women aren't being listened to, the Government have let them down," a spokesman for the group said.

The group said it wanted a guarantee of at least 50,000 euro for each woman ever sent to a laundry.

It represents 100 women in Ireland and is aware of another 67 survivors in the UK but based on the Government figures there are approximately another 400 women to be compensated and not being represented.

The average time women from Magdalene Survivors Together spent in a laundry was five to eight years.

The money will be paid to those forced into the Catholic-run workhouses, St Mary's Training Centre, Stanhope Street in Dublin and the House of Mercy Training School, Summerhill, Wexford.

Four congregations ran them - Sisters of Our Lady of Charity, Mercy Sisters, Sisters of Charity and Good Shepherd Sisters.

Some 605 applications for the redress fund have been made and more than 250 applications are at an advance stage with the first payments to be made over the next four to six weeks.

Mr Shatter said one of his priorities after becoming minister had been to address the hurt of the Magdalene women.

"To avoid any unnecessary delay my department has already been active in encouraging women to submit applications and around 600 have been received to date," he said.

"If an individual accepts the provisional offer, the next step will be a formal offer subject to the signature of the waiver. Once the waiver is signed and returned, the payment of the lump sums can be made."