Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for Justice and Equality is considering the question of Bethany Home which was not a laundry but dealt with the health and welfare of young women and their children. The terms of reference set out for Mr. Justice Quirke are designed to give expression to simplicity, effectiveness, compassion and comprehensive dealings. The report, as Deputy Gerry Adams is aware, is very complex and covers a large range of individual circumstances and stories. That is why the women in particular want this done in a non-adversarial, non-tortuous and non-litigious way. It is for that reason that Mr. Justice Quirke will look at the question of identifying the criteria and factors to be taken into account to facilitate the early establishment and effective conduct of a scheme for the benefit of those women who were admitted to and worked in the Magdalen and Stanhope Street laundries. Deputy Gerry Adams will also be aware that because of the exceptional work done by the Step by Step centre in Britain with substantial numbers of people who were in Magdalen laundries, the Government has decided to allocate €250,000 to the organisation once the relevant paperwork on its charitable status is dealt with.

Mr. Justice Quirke has also been asked to examine how best to operate a fund of a sum sufficient to meet the requirements he sets out. That will take into account the engagement he has with the Magdalen people over the next 12 weeks. He will also look at the supports some of these people need, be it counselling, medical cards, mental health services and other welfare provision. The Minister for Social Protection made the point that we must make sure there is a disregard in place so that any allocation does not impact on a person's social welfare payments. The same should apply in the case of those who are in England because if one makes a direct payment, it will have an impact on the social welfare payments they receive.

The women I met strongly insisted that they did not want a repeat of the redress board process. Under no circumstances do they want that. What we want in these terms of reference is to be simple, effective, non-adversarial, non-litigious and, at the same time, as fair and balanced as possible.

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