Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree entirely with the Deputy that the congregations, as she put it, have a moral, ethical and social duty to contribute to the fund. As I stated, the majority of people outside the House would expect such a contribution, and many of the former residents of the Magdalen laundries or homes expect such contributions. I do not believe anything can be achieved by me as a Minister being abusive of those who are members of these congregations. In my view this is a moral and ethical obligation. I will not pretend there is something I can do which is not doable - if I can put it that way for the Deputy - either for the sake of a headline in a newspaper or in the context of responding to the Deputy.

I am proud of the fact I am a member of a Government which has finally addressed the enormous legacy of the Magdalen laundries and the impact they had on so many women whose plights were ignored by successive Governments. We commissioned the report which Dr. McAleese produced. I do not believe this report deserves criticism. It is comprehensive and revealed information never previously available. We asked Mr. Justice Quirke to look at a restorative justice scheme. We wanted to move away from the approach of the redress board where individuals had to detail the horrors of what they experienced. We have put in place a scheme which I believe will work extremely well.

I am disappointed the congregations do not recognise their moral, ethical and social obligation to contribute to the scheme. I urge them to reconsider the approach they are taking. There is an issue when they say, as they have, they want to effect a reconciliation with so many of the women, but the good faith or bona fides of this approach is tested by the manner in which they respond. This response, and it is fair for me to acknowledge it, is partly co-operation in accessing records, which is important, and the fact they continue to care for approximately 130 elderly and frail women, many of them very frail and who have been in their care for decades, but it is not enough. It is the united view of all sides of the House, and of the vast majority of people outside the House, that there is a moral obligation. I hope, bearing in mind the congregations' position, their background and ethical understanding of the world, that this moral obligation will be recognised. I cannot play my role as Minister for Defence and arrive with the tank outside the gates of one of these congregations and demand they provide funding.

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