Deirdre Clune (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to recognise the Magdalen women for the work they have done and courage they have shown in coming forward to tell their story. It has been a long road for them. As an earlier speaker noted, this is not the end of the road but the start of a new chapter, one which I hope will be bright. I also commend the women's supporters and those who worked with them and helped them tell their story.

In his report, the former Senator, Dr. Martin McAleese, noted that 10,000 women entered the Magdalen institutions between 1922 and 1996. I was in the Dáil Chamber when the Taoiseach delivered his speech on the report and it was a very moving and important occasion. He recognised all the Magdalen women, not only the cases in which the State was identified by former Senator McAleese as having had a role. None of us can transplant ourselves to those times. Society as a whole was involved and people knew in some way what was taking place. The State was also aware of what was happening, for example, the report refers to inspectors of factories visiting the laundries under the provisions of the Factories Act. Given the State's involvement in the laundries, it was appropriate that the Taoiseach's apology was directed at all the Magdalen women and that all of them will be included in the study being carried out by Mr. Justice Quirke.

Dr. McAleese took on an onerous task. He took his role very seriously, working long hours and keeping his work under lock and key. He was moved by the stories related by the Magdalen women and glad to be offered the opportunity to chair the interdepartmental committee and prepare his report. We thank him for his professional investigation into the State's involvement in the Magdalen laundries. I am sure more of the story of the Magdalen women needs to be told.

I acknowledge the role of the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. She and the Minister for Justice and Equality and Justice, Deputy Alan Shatter, frequently raised the issue of the Magdalen laundries when they were opposition spokespersons in the previous Dáil. As she outlined in her statement, the Minister of State did tremendous work on this issue with the Magdalen women to help ensure their voices could be heard and a process found to have the State provide restitution. I hope the solution will be practical, effective, address the needs of the women and, in some way, make up for the wrongs done to them in the past.

I am pleased the Minster of State will meet the religious orders. I acknowledge the co-operation of the orders in providing all their records, without which we would not have reached this point. It is also important that they make a financial contribution and I have no doubt the Minister of State and Minister for Justice and Equality will speak plainly to them on this issue when they meet.

I look forward to the proposed memorial and appreciate that the women will have an important input in its design. It will be fitting to have a memorial to remind us of a stark part of our past. I am under no illusion that the report marks the end of this chapter and I have no doubt there are other sad stories to be told which will show that holy Catholic Ireland, the land of saints and scholars, was not always a holy place. As a result of the McAleese report, the Magdalen women can finally say that somebody believed them. It is an important development that they have expressed satisfaction with the words of the Taoiseach, Minister for Justice and Equality and Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch.