Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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91. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to a proposed development (details supplied) at the site of the former Magdalen laundry operated by the Religious Sisters of Charity at Donnybrook and the lack of consultation with survivor groups regarding this development; if she will intervene to ensure that adequate consultation takes place in view of recommendations of Mr. Justice Quirke regarding consultation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15154/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As I indicated in my response to Dáíl Question No. 90 on 22 February, 2017, an Inter-Departmental Committee was set up in 2011 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.

Chapter 3 of the McAleese Report gives the history of the Donnybrook Magdalene Laundry. The sisters of Charity took over the Donnybrook Laundry in 1833. It was re-located to Donnybrook Castle in 1837 and was re-named St. Mary Magdalen's Asylum. In 1992 the premises was sold to a private company which operated a commercial laundry there until 2006. This former Magdalen Laundry building at Donnybrook was never in State ownership and I have no authority to give instructions as to its future development or in relation to any consultation process to be followed. Planning permission for any development on the site is a matter for the relevant planning authority. I should also point out that Justice Quirke made no recommendation in relation to the former Donnybrook Magdalen Laundry.