Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Most of the organisations involved have welcomed the fact that the State intends to introduce the legislation to which the Tánaiste refers in order that all of the relevant material will be preserved. The Human Rights Commission and the UN Committee Against Torture, UNCAT, repeatedly requested a statutory and thorough investigation into what happened in the laundries. Preserving the records will ensure that this can happen at some future date. In recent days UNCAT has indicated that the State should "take additional steps to ensure that victims obtain redress as needed, including in the case of the Magdalene Laundries".

I take this opportunity to mention the case of Rita. The latter is not her real name. There is absolutely no doubt about the date on which Rita entered the laundry; neither is there any doubt about the date when she was not there. There is a discrepancy in that there is no official proof of where she was for a very short period but there are people who are prepared to swear affidavits in order to prove that she was exactly where she says she was. Rita approached the Department of Justice and Equality following the Taoiseach's apology in February 2013 and registered with the implementation team at the end of June of that year. This lady is in her 80s and for the past six weeks I have been trying to obtain an answer for her from the Department. I have continually been informed that it is awaiting a directive. This has been going on for far too long. As Rita has informed me, it is not the money but rather the principle of the thing. The Tánaiste is seeking details but the Department of Justice and Equality knows the real identity of the person to whom I refer. I hope her case will be resolved by next week at the very latest.

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