Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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77. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on extending the terms of reference for the mother and baby homes inquiry to include the Magdalen laundries. [26760/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As I stated in response to Deputy Higgins, I am, of course, deeply concerned at the distressing circumstances surrounding the operation of Mother and Baby Homes. As I have advised, last week the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs announced the Government's intention to establish a Commission of Investigation to examine these complex issues. An interdepartmental group has been established and has met on number of occasion. The group is to bring a report the Government shortly which will to inform decisions on the terms of reference for this Commission.

I understand that the Bethany Home as a mother and baby home will be included within the terms of reference. While a final position has not been adopted as regards the Magdalen institutions, my primary concern is the interests of the women known to have been in these institutions and who have applied for benefits under the Magdalen scheme. The facts available regarding Magdalen laundries have already been set out in detail in the McAleese report which exceeds 1,000 pages. The women concerned have received an apology from the Taoiseach, have had the opportunity to relate their stories to both Mr McAleese and Judge Quirke and are entitled to receive a capital sum of up to €100,000 depending on duration of stay as well as life long pension top up payments and access to medical services.

The McAleese report did address the question of links between Mother and Baby Homes and Magdalen Laundries. His statistical analysis of the known entry routes into Magdalen laundries for the period 1920 onwards showed that less than 4% of entries were from Mother and Baby Homes and Adoption Societies. In the light of the above, there is a valid question as to how extending the terms of reference for mother and baby homes Commission of Investigation to include the Magdalene Laundries would be in the interest of or be of any benefit to the women in question. Nonetheless, I can assure the Deputy this question will be reflected upon and considered carefully by Government in the context of setting the terms of reference for the Commission of Investigation, including on foot of the report.