Magdalene laundries scheme is ‘unfair’
Ombudsman says State redress causing ‘deep hurt’
SURVIVORS of Magdalene Laundries have been failed by the ‘manifestly unfair’ State redress scheme which has caused ‘deep hurt’.
In a damning report into the Magdalene Restorative Justice Scheme run by the Department of Justice, the Ombudsman Peter Tyndall said its ‘flawed administration’ had added to survivors’ distress.
He said the department relied on ‘questionable’ criteria and a ‘narrow interpretation’ of the whole point behind the scheme.
Mr Tyndall also uncovered an ‘over-reliance’ by officials on evidence provided by the religious congregations who ran the laundries. He said: ‘It is not apparent what weight if any was afforded to the testimony of the women and/ or their relatives. Interviews with applicants were a last resort.
‘It was supposed to contribute to healing and reconciliation, but unfortunately for some women these failings in how the scheme was administered served to reinforce their feelings of marginalisation and deep hurt.’
He also said the process also served to ‘undermine the restorative effect of the emotional apology delivered by then-taoiseach Enda Kenny in 2013 when the McAleese Report was published.
The Ombudsman’s investigation was sparked by complaints from 27 of the 106 women refused compensation under the scheme because the department said last night they ‘had not been admitted to one of the 12 specified institutions’. To date 830 applications have been received under the Magdalene Laundries Restorative Justice Ex-Gratia Scheme. Of that figure 684 have received a payment at a cost of €25.7million.
Mr Tyndall said: ‘The department failed to provide for those women who lack capacity to look after their own affairs and who are still waiting to receive payments under the scheme. A significant number of these women remain in the care of the congregations.’
He added: ‘Those who have already been deemed eligible but who do not have the capacity to engage with the scheme should receive their payments as a matter of urgency.’
Liam Herrick of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties said: ‘Exclusion from the redress scheme is partly a result of the State’s failure to investigate alleged abuse in Magdalene Laundries.’
Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said last night he was assured that the scheme ‘has been operated with compassion and dedication’ and is done so ‘in such a way as to be as un-intrusive as possible’. He added that full consideration will be given to all of the report’s recommendations
‘Feelings of deep hurt’