Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 5: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if it is now accepted that victims of institutional abuse in the Magdalene laundries should be included in the residential redress scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46566/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Residential Institutions Redress Scheme was introduced in 2002 as an exceptional measure to address a very particular circumstance and was never intended to be a panacea for every injustice committed on children. The issue of including the Magdalen Laundries in the scheme was raised during the passage of the Residential Institutions Redress Bill and the request to include the laundries generally was not acceded to. However, in recognition of the fact that some children were transferred from scheduled institutions to laundries, section 1(3) of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 provides that a child who was resident in a scheduled institution and who was transferred to a laundry where they suffered abuse while so resident, will be deemed, at the time of the abuse to have been resident in the scheduled institution.

Following the publication of the Ryan Report in May 2009, there were a range of demands for the redress scheme to be extended to include specific categories of institutions, including the Magdalen Laundries, as well as specific institutions. The Government considered these demands and in its statement of 15th April last noted that it did not propose to revise the arrangements. As the Deputy will be aware, the Irish Human Rights Commission recently published its assessment of a request to carry out an enquiry into the treatment of women and girls who resided in Magdalen Laundries. While the Commission has decided not to conduct an enquiry itself, as it is entitled to do under the legislation which established it, the Commission has recommended that a statutory mechanism be established to investigate the matters raised and in appropriate cases to grant redress where warranted. The Government has asked the Attorney General in consultation with relevant Departments to consider the Commission's report.