Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to extend my sympathy and support to the women who suffered abuse in the Magdalene laundries. I applaud them for maintaining their dignity and I compliment them on the way they managed their campaign to seek justice. They have been an inspiration to people throughout Ireland in the context of how they have conducted themselves.

The abuse that took place in the residential institutions is a dark stain on our country's history. There are many lessons to be learned from what occurred, one of which is that no organisation, body or entity should have absolute power - as was the case with the Catholic Church and the State - over people's lives. This must never happen again and we must ensure that there will always be oversight, transparency, supervision and accountability. The women in question were locked up, enslaved and abused mentally, physically and, in some cases, sexually for no other crime than being considered nonconformist or somehow outside the norm. This was at a time when there was a twisted view of what was women's role in society.

It is ironic that we are obliged to engage in this debate, particularly as it comes within seven days of the Government announcing a date for the referendum to guarantee the rights of children. While I welcome the referendum, I must point out that the Government continues to drag its feet on the granting of justice to those women who were enslaved in the Magdalene laundries. The motion calls for the Government to commit to an open and meaningful debate on the issue of an apology - Deputy Regina Doherty referred to this fact - redress and restorative justice measures. How can the Government not support these very simple and just demands?

We have been dealing with this issue for many years. It is ten years since the Dáil formally acknowledged the appalling abuse that took place in the Magdalene laundries. The women who were incarcerated in those laundries are predominantly aging and elderly. We cannot wait any longer to obtain justice for them. Such justice must be seen to be done and not when the Government or anyone else is ready. Justice should be done in this Chamber tonight. The women have waited too long and their suffering is only being compounded by the length of time it is taking to obtain justice for them. It is not for the want of evidence that justice is being denied. Some 22 months ago the Irish Human Rights Commission issued its report, Assessment of the Human Rights Issues Arising in regard to the Magdalene Laundries, and 15 months ago the United Nations stressed the need for the State to ensure that survivors will obtain redress. However, the Government's silence regarding this matter has been deafening and its foot-dragging in respect of it is terrible. In its report, the UN expressed grave concerns about the failure of the State to institute a prompt investigation into allegations relating to the ill-treatment that occurred in the Magdalene laundries. Even the very congregations which ran the ten laundries have expressed a willingness to bring about clarity, understanding and justice in respect of the women involved.

It is shocking that the State colluded in the imprisonment and enslavement of such large number of children and young women in the first instance. Between 1926 and 1951, some 31,000 were kept in these shadowy, awful institutions. As recently as 1964, children were being snatched from playgrounds and taken to other institutions in which they were treated in an equally cruel fashion. Those children were never seen again. All of this was done with active State support. This is not a myth because I witnessed one incident of this happening, when the members of a family were snatched from a school playground and taken away. They were never seen again.

The question remains as to why the Government will not support the motion. Prevarication is cruel, so why will this Administration not allow justice to prevail? I appeal to those on the Government benches - in the spirit of the forthcoming referendum - to allow the bells of justice to ring out. The facts are known so they should stop dragging their feet. They should do the right thing and support both the motion and the women's quest for justice.

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