Seán Kenny (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Last year I welcomed the setting up of the interdepartmental committee of inquiry and was pleased that the records of all Departments would be made available for the committee's work. I also welcomed the assurance of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, to the Justice for Magdalenes' campaign that the development of a narrative of State interaction with the Magdalene laundries would consider acts of omission on the part of the State, in particular the State's failure to inspect and regulate and thereby prevent abuse in the laundries.

The committee produced an interim progress report within three months of its establishment in October 2011. Along with a number of committee meetings, there were meetings with the religious congregations who ran the institutions, relevant academics, and representative groups of the women who resided in the laundries. The committee reported that extensive searches of all State records had commenced, with results being reported regularly. Relevant Departments and State offices not represented on the committee have also been contacted with a view to checks being conducted on their records.

The report acknowledged the difficulty in identifying and tracing records going back over 90 years. The committee acknowledged the co-operation of the religious orders which have given them their full assistance and co­operation. It also acknowledged the constructive engagement with the relevant advocacy and representatives groups. The committee met Justice for Magdalenes, the Irish Women Survivors Support Network in the UK, and the Magdalene Survivors Group.

The committee pointed out the complexity of its task, which required the tracing and examination of a large volume of records across a wide range of sources and covering a period of some 90 years. Although Senator McAleese had hoped to conclude the work of the committee by mid-2012 he also stated this date might have to be adjusted, depending on the volume of records uncovered and the availability of resources.

A significant level of information and documentation has already been identified by the committee and I understand the drafting of the final report has begun. However, relevant records continue to be identified and the committee continues to receive new submissions from representative and advocacy groups. Senator McAleese has advised that the committee intends to produce its final report as soon as possible, at the latest before the end of the year. He has explained that information is still being identified which has the capacity to add to the overall outcome of the committee's work in a meaningful way and stated that the committee believes it would be improper to conclude without examining the additional material. The State, the Government and individual Deputies like me must remember that the issue of the Magdalene laundries is fundamentally about the women who spent time in the institutions. It is also about their children. Many of the survivors are now are elderly. Some women believe - with very good reason - that both church and State have pursued a policy of denial until admission became absolutely necessary.

All the indications are that the report of the interdepartmental committee will put us in a position to have a meaningful debate on the issues raised by the different groups representing those who have been in Magdalene laundries. I agree fully with the view of Government that to pre-empt the report of the committee by making decisions or assertions of fact is not the correct course of action to take. We have been told we will have the report as soon as possible, certainly before the end of this year which at this stage is only a matter of months away. The only reasonable course of action is to await that report.

See this speech in context