Written answers

Thursday, 23 February 2017

Department of Justice and Equality

Magdalen Laundries Report

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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78. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress that has been made on the establishment of the dedicated unit as recommended by a person (details supplied) in the Magdalen commission report. [9126/17]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Magdalen Laundries Restorative Justice Ex Gratia Scheme was set up following the publication of the report in February, 2013 of an Inter-Departmental Committee set up to establish the facts of the State's involvement with the Magdalen Laundries. It was chaired by then Senator Martin McAleese and it is commonly referred to as the McAleese report. The material in the Report relates to 10 different institutions which were run by 4 different Orders of nuns over a period of 70 years. Although there was no finding in the McAleese Report which indicated that the State had any liability in the matter, following the report’s publication the Taoiseach issued a State apology to the women. Mr. Justice Quirke was asked by the Government to make recommendations on an appropriate redress scheme for those who were in the 10 Magdalen laundries that were the subject of the McAleese Report. The Government also included in the scheme the laundry that was attached to Stanhope Street Training School and later also decided to include a 12th institution, the Training School in Summerhill.

The recommendation in the Quirke Report for a “Dedicated Unit” had as its principal purpose the giving of access to information to the Magdalen survivors in relation their monetary, health and other needs. To a large extent, those services are now being provided on a cross Departmental basis so that, for example, expert social welfare advice is provided by a nominated – by region – person in the Department of Social Protection. Similarly, health advice is being provided by a nominated person – by region – in the HSE.

The staff of the Restorative Justice Implementation Unit in my Department which runs the compensation scheme recommended by Quirke, are constantly engaging directly with the Magdalen women and advise them on all aspects of the application process and their other entitlements in a courteous, sensitive and confidential manner. The Citizens Information Board is also in place to provide assistance to those seeking advice on State benefits including housing, education, etc. Given these services, the issue of whether there remains a need for a “Dedicated Unit” as envisaged in the Quirke Report is open to question but a final decision in this matter will be made in the fullness of time .

The priority at this stage is to complete the restorative justice compensation process so that the Magdalen women have their lump sum compensation payments, their pension entitlements and their medical cards.

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