Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I presume the wall of official indifference to which Professor Manning, as president of the Human Rights Commission, was referring was the indifference shown during the term of office of the previous Government which failed to address this issue or put in place the structures the Government of which I am a member is putting in place which it sees as part of a process. Consultations with the religious congregations and representatives of those who lived in the Magdalene laundries will be held shortly. I am committed to ensuring the investigation of the events surrounding the residents of the Magdalene laundries and people who worked therein and the extent to which the State had an engagement of any description. The interdepartmental committee will be required to address these issues and I look forward to the meetings that will take place. Former residents of the laundries are particularly concerned about the establishment of a restorative and reconciliation process. It is hoped the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, and I will be able to facilitate the putting in place of such a process by agreement with all concerned.

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