Innocent nuns targeted unfairly in hospital mess

The Irish Mail on Sunday’s frontpage headline last week was: ‘Nuns’ €3m redress bill paid.’

A pity the populist politicians, intolerant secularists and keyboard warriors didn’t ascertain this fact before their venomous attacks on the Sisters of Charity.

These nuns gave, free of charge, valuable land to the Government for a new maternity hospital. Prejudice blinded the critics to the assurance given by Dr Rhona Mahony on the independence of the proposed hospital.

The sisters were found to have institutionally abused those in their care at Madgalene laundries. This is not in any way to airbrush, excuse or even mitigate the nature of the abuse suffered by those victims. They deserve our sympathy, compassion, and proper redress.

Is it right, though, that innocent nuns be subjected to abuse and held accountable for the indefensible deeds of the guilty? If we subscribe to this view, then we subscribe to mob law. Nicholas McCourt,