Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

The Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill 2012, brought forward by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, has been referred to select committee. My colleagues and I intend to put forward amendments to the Bill in order to address several stark omissions therein, including the omission from its terms of reference of the women and children of the Magdalene laundries and Bethany Home. I do not have any sense that the Government is minded to amend the Bill to give to those particular categories of victims the recognition, support and compensation that is their legitimate due. Will the Minister indicate whether, when and in what legislative format the Government proposes to afford full recognition to the women and children of Bethany Home and the Magdalene laundries?

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