Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This month I witnessed the best and the worst aspects of the operations of Dáil Éireann. The worst came two weeks ago in the form of the Taoiseach's initial response to the Magdalen report in the aftermath of its publication. The Taoiseach gave a lecture on statistics instead of dealing with the crimes perpetrated against the girls and women who were put in Magdalen laundries. In the same week there was unseemly behaviour during the debate on the promissory note deal, when those of us with a contrary point of view were shouted down in the most ignorant fashion by members of the Government parties. The best came when the Taoiseach made a fulsome apology on behalf of the people of the Irish nation to the survivors of the Magdalen laundries and when every Deputy stood and applauded that apology and those women who so courageously to have their hurt acknowledged by the State and its citizens.

This country has an extremely poor record in respect of its treatment of women. Next week, women here and throughout the world will celebrate International Women's Day. For too long, women in this country have been subjected to abuse, treated as second-class citizens and ignored by those in the male-dominated corridors of power. There is probably no greater example of this than the incarceration of women in the Magdalen laundries. The latter were established over 200 years ago and over time the State increasingly used them as a place to deal with a multitude of social problems, such as so-called illegitimacy, immoral behaviour, poverty, disability, domestic and sexual abuse, youth crime and infanticide. The final laundry to close its doors was that located in Seán MacDermott Street. It did so in 1996, when there were still 40 women - the oldest of whom was 79 and the youngest in her 40s - in residence there. This is comparatively recent history. To rub salt into their wounds, the Magdalen women were excluded by the State from the 2002 residential institutions redress scheme. The State argued that the laundries were privately run and that it, therefore, had no involvement with them. Justice delayed was justice denied and the major hurt continued.

The Taoiseach's fulsome apology on behalf of the Irish people was both welcome and the right thing to do. The redress scheme is a good start towards making some restitution for the wrongs done. However, the redress mechanism must be open, transparent, accountable and non-adversarial. It must be placed on a statutory footing, involve adequate oversight and include a right of appeal. In addition, the surviving women must receive wages that were unpaid and full pension entitlements. Health and education services must also be provided. Sinn Féin welcomes the Government's commitment to a non-adversarial redress process. However, it cannot be left to one individual - regardless of how honourable, well-intentioned or eminent he or she may be - to adjudicate on these matters. It is essential that the redress process should accord fully with the rules of natural justice and fair procedure and be completely transparent.

The courage of the Magdalen survivors has forced the State to confront and rectify abuses in the system, both historic and current. There are others who still await redress. These include the Bethany Home survivors, the victims of symphysiotomy and those who were the subject of forced legal adoptions. I completely agree with Deputy Neville to the effect that we must address the needs of those women and men who are survivors of our psychiatric institutions or lunatic asylums, as they were previously known.

We cannot allow the struggle and pain of the Magdalen women to be in vain. The sexism and inequality that still pervades Irish society must be stamped out. Legislators have often failed the women of this country and there is a danger that we will repeat the mistakes of the past if we do not afford women their equal say. As International Women's Day approaches, Deputies from all parties should make a commitment to do at least one thing to rectify the wrongs that were and continue to be committed against Irish women. Let the redress process for the Magdalen women be the beginning of a process of change in Irish society. I hope our mothers, wives, sisters and daughters will never be obliged to go through the injustice endured by the women who were incarcerated in the Magdalen laundries. We can do something about this matter and let us ensure that we do so.

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