Justice for Magdalenes (JFM), the survivor advocacy group, is shocked and disappointed by today’s announcement that the final report of the “Inter-Departmental Committee investigating State Involvement with the Magdalene Laundries” may now not appear until the end of the year and is calling on the government to act immediately.
JFM is gravely concerned for the welfare of survivors, who are mostly aging and elderly women, many of them vulnerable. They have already waited too long for an apology, for redress, and for restorative justice. Further delay is unacceptable. JFM is calling on the Irish State to issue an immediate apology and implement a reparation scheme for women incarcerated in Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries.
Survivors have cooperated fully with the government’s Inter-Departmental Committee. They have provided testimony and have met with Senator Martin McAleese. They did so trusting that the Committee would deliver its final report in a timely fashion.
JFM, too, has cooperated with the Committee. We recently made our principal submission, entitled “State Involvement in the Magdalene Laundries,” comprising a 145 page document asserting three main categories of involvement, namely that:
(i) the State sent women and girls to the Magdalene Laundries and ensured they remained there;
(ii) the State provided the Religious Orders with direct and indirect financial support; and
(iii) the State failed to supervise the Religious Orders operation of the Magdalene Laundries.
Some 795 pages of newly gathered survivor testimony and an additional 3,707 pages of archival and legislative documentation supported these contentions. JFM’s submission alone constitutes overwhelming and irrefutable evidence of State complicity in the Laundries’ abuses. Redacted copies of this submission will be made available to TDs and Senators.
Today’s announcement further delays survivors’ access to justice. Over the past year, Minister Alan Shatter has repeatedly refused to discuss an apology, redress or restorative justice until after the publication of the Inter-Departmental Committee’s final report. JFM has asked Mr. Shatter to establish a threshold for State involvement short of the final report so that provisions can be put in place immediately that address survivor’s entitlements, e.g., statutory pensions that reflect years of unpaid work in the Laundries. JFM’s recent submission surely satisfies any such threshold. And, the women need this help now.
Survivors’ entitlements can no longer be held hostage to the vagaries of the political system’s inability to deliver on its promises. Australia and the UK have both recently moved forward with official apologies to victims of forced, illegal adoptions and the migrant child scheme. Will Ireland ever do the same? Will the all too familiar policy of ‘deny til they die’, become ‘delay til they die’?
Three years into this campaign, 22 months after the IHRC recommendation, 15 months after the United Nation’s Committee Against Torture recommendation, by refusing to apologise and provide redress, Ireland’s government is failing some of the most vulnerable in our society. For this we should all feel shame.
[ENDS]
Nome de Guerre wrote:-
” Stalin was once informed by the head executioner of the NKVD Beira that they were having problems with the comrades in Siberia. Stalin’s answer was “If you remove the comrades you remove the problem”. The editor of The Galway independent is carrying on that effective tradition. Stalin would agree.”
When the Berlin Wall fell, in the autumn of 1989, I happened to meet some Irish people in positions of authority who were so gleeful about that event, it merely confirmed my feelings about RC Ireland and those in charge of running this country. Needless to say, I took a closer look at those people and where they were/are coming from …
Paddy wrote:-
“The women, (Magdalene Women) deserver justice and they deserve it now. Most are elderly and have never been afforded the justice and dignity they deserve.”
Of course they do, Paddy. But this is Ireland. So, if anyone wants Justice in this country, they have to fight tooth and nail to get it. I know this from personal experience, and even then I wouldn’t call it Justice – but I did get SOME recompense from those who had wrong me. Mind you, I could’ve been killed in the process – but I’m “still standing” …
Mary Collins wrote:-
“Martha with your education and good catholic up bringing you should know all about holy water. Remember your the clever one.”
LOL! I wouldn’t say I had a “good catholic” upbringing and yes, I do remember the “holy water”. Like every other Irish child who was born and raised in Holy Catholic Ireland, I was “well schooled”. But, I was fortunate enough I was able to EDCUATE myself once I “escaped” from that criminally-insane organisation.
And then I had to learn how to swim in ordinary water, as it were … :)
Take it easy Mary,
Martha
Mary Collins wrote:-
“We stood alone as children and stand alone as adults.”
Some of us are luckier than others (to paraphrase George Orwell). Some of humans just live (or survive, as the case may be) longer than others. That’s Life.
Don’t get me wrong. I think what happened to MOST Irish people is a tragedy – but that Awful Roman Catholic extension of the British Invasion of Ireland is, well, just a fact of our (Irish) “cultural conditioning”. Its our collective Irish history.
For me, its interesting (like a Good Book) but for others its their own personal history, which I (personally) had no control of.
History is always interesting. But history is always written by the “victors” – because they are the ones who kill their victims.
So, the moral of this story is: don’t let Bullies control your life.
Keep on trucking, Paddy – even if you have to keep “smoking” :-)
The editor of the Galway Independent is a woman.
Mary,
I can’t agree with you. Earlier today I was outside the old Magdalene Site in Galway. I didn’t go in as was very tempted to break the place up and drag the nuns out. Doing this would have been wrong.I agree it’s not about money or redress but many are elderly and majority are dead. These women deserve an apology and justice.
I was very sad and angry earlier outside that place.
Paddy thanks to you these women and there families are now put into the public domain. As a leader of any group you can never tell a story for another survivor. What they have been doing they select survivors stories make out there ageing and need redress straight away. Appearing on every paper and T.v only representing a few I know a lady that remembers my mum when she entered the laundries she was able to tell me how my mum was screaming and locked in a room. She is a wonderful hard working and elderly lady she had been to every Magdalene laundries in Ireland. No one mentions her story why because she has the whole history just like myself to what happened in the laundries. These groups let on they do a load of work when it boil down to it there getting all their information of the internet they haven’t got a clue. The Magdalene laundries have been around for years no one cared I know that groups are only interested in what they can get out of it for themselves. They are only in it to create jobs for themselves. Now they want a telephone helpline most of the women are hard of hearing. This rotten history should be about the women and their families. They should be given respect. Groups are rotten to the chore you don’t care unless there is something in it for them. Come on group have your say O no it may effect my funding. We stood alone as children and stand alone as adults.
Maybe an Irish version of “Pussy Riot” could hold a punk prayer happening balaclavas and all in Galway Cathedral , A suitable prayer would be ” Blessed Virgin help us throw out Brady” Real catholics would do that, after all being catholic is radical. What we are seeing is the opposite.
It appears my gmail account was hacked as I’m not able to access it.
The arrival of the washing machine did more to liberate Irish society from the grips of The Holy Roman Empire than any national romantic or armed group.
Galway has had a noble tradition of women and child containment, This is something the Galway independent should write about as part of the celebration of the Mercy Sisters honorable presence in that city and while we are at it we can throw in Salthill industrial school run by the Irish Christian brothers. But let us not forget Letterfrack the Jewel of them all. The president of the Irish Republic could say pay visits to these illustrious establishments in recognition of the trojan and unselfish work done there by both wings of the Holy Roman Empire these last 75 years. He may even visit these hallowed places . May I suggest he visit Letterfrack first but that every precaution be taken to avoid the mass grave where over a hundred children lay in a mass grave. This may upset him not to mention the editor of the Galway Independent. Then the disturbing suspicions of clandestine nocturnal burials of children at Letterfrack outside the mass grave may arise and we don’t want that to infect the sanitized celebrations in that fair city. One last thing Mr Editor! What exactly are you Independent of?.
Paddy, Stalin was once informed by the head executioner of the NKVD Beira that they were having problems with the comrades in Siberia. Stalin’s answer was “If you remove the comrades you remove the problem”. The editor of The Galway independent is carrying on that effective tradition. Stalin would agree.
If women were brought back to the madelaine laundrys after haveing left of thier own accord then it was the state paying the police to bring them back to these laundrys. This was the case in industriel schools but i dont know if women left or waited to be released by the managers in the laundrys. if this wasent under the control of the government then it was controlled by the managers. Which brings things down to these two bodys.But the laws of the republic of ireland forbid this. and so the lot of them are wriggeling there way out. if the statue goes too the magdelaine laundrys and industriel schools will stay in peoples memory now thanks to people keeping the whole thing alive.
The question is Kevin: Who was it that did the leaning? As a true Dub might say, ‘I have me suspections!” One thing is certain, and that is the whoever leaned on the editor didn’t want the story of the Magdalene women to be put into the public domain. What a disgrace! These women deserve better than to be left on the margins of society for one second longer. Paddy.
As a follow up the historian wrote to me and it is beyond his control and the editor that the series didn’t continue.I’m not convinced there was to be a series, a part II but taking them at their word, it was obvious somebody leaned on them.I don’t believe it was the intent of the historian to omit the Magdalene Women and Magdalene Laundry but obviously somebody has had a word with the editor. I wouldn’t blame the historian.
The government ont even listen to the orders given in strasburg. The nepapers can print photos of a young omen on holiday but not the truth about the role of the sucessive governments in this scandel . if thay are so unafraid of being cought its that we have a cover up the church could decide what was printed in the newspapers it is with the help of those in power. Its a scar it wont heal by itself.
They haven’t stopped pulling the strings and they still have the political tribe under their control. If the Nazi’s had the same grip there’d be statues of Hitler in O’Connell street.
I’m more than happy to accept your correction Frank. Now let’s root out the rat. Paddy
You have that wrong Paddy: if it smells like a rat and looks like a rat then it’s a rat. If it smells like a rat but doesn’t look like a rat then it’s an Irish politician.
I can’t help but wonder if there were political hands dabbling in newspaper circles. The women, (Magdalene Women) deserver justice and they deserve it now. Most are elderly and have never been afforded the justice and dignity they deserve. It’s time the editor of the newspaper came up with some answers. The first question I’d put to him is: Who leaned on you? Perhaps other visitors to this website would ask the same question. Maybe, just maybe, an answer will be forthcoming. Paddy.
There’s a saying that goes something like: If it smells like a rat then it is a rat. Paddy.
I wonder are the unforeseen circumstances that President Neckless wouldn’t look good arriving after the history of the sister child abuse had appeared in the paper.
I was informed by the editor of the Galway Independent newspaper that “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the series on the Mercy Convent will not be continuing next week.”.
Martha with your education and good catholic up bringing you should know all about holy water. Remember your the clever one.
Mary Collins wrote:-
“Martha you should wash your mouth out with holy water there is no need to swear.”
Holy water? What’s that? Is that what you wash yourself with?
Kevin wrote:-
“Martha,
It’s a much wider problem than you realise.”
Yes, of course I’m aware of RAPID Climate Change. Time was when I was looking forward to being a grandmother. Not any more …
Thay invented a sin called. in danger of loosing her verginity. this kept the whole thing going. thay have allways incriminated women for being women. If the state does take part in the celabration of this cruel system well it puts ireland back where thay were. catholic slaves afraid to question how thay treated people in those prisons. the courts and familys imprisoned these young women.and the church used them to make money.
Regarding the Mercy in Galway, I was informed by the newspaper (Galway Independent) editor that the historian had planned it as a series and that the next part of the series will cover the Magdalene Laundry. I assume it will appear in next weeks edition of the Galway Independent. They would appreciate ‘input’.
Of course Áras an Uachtaráin used the Magdalene Laundries in Dublin.
http://galwayindependent.com/stories/item/3814/2012-37/Foundation-%E2%80%93-Mercy-Convent
What a disgrace that any representative of the state should turn up at the anniversary of a bunch of slave traders and abusers.
Well the investigation will take along time as these women and children were locked away from the public eye. People knew how women were been treated and abused no one cared. The Irish government wiped there hands of these women as they were classed as whores and tramps. They did not fit in with the morals of the catholic church and their teachings so they were hidden away and made slaves for the nuns, They prayed day and night to god for forgiveness of their sins .It would be a difficult investigation as there was a big cover up of everything the religious order did. Did the nuns report two the government or the courts that took me away from her or the doctor that put my mum in the laundry for permission to bury her in a mass grave the answer is no because she didn’t matter she was scum in there eyes and she still is today.Every document or information on the laundries should be made public.Martha you should wash your mouth out with holy water there is no need to swear.
Martha,
It’s a much wider problem than you realise.
Pauline,
The other day I had a Good Shepherd Sister tell me “we imprisoned nobody” yet we were standing yards from a Magdalene Laundry.Michael D Higgins will be in Galway or the Mercy 75 anniversary celebration of their school so an opportunity to discuss ledgers discovered. There is trace evidence remaining leading back to those who profited from the misery and enslavement of others.
In relation to the Mercy celebration of the 75 years of their secondary school in Galway, a local historian had a piece in a regional newspaper (Galway Independent) about the Sisters of Mercy in Galway and not once does it mention the Mercy Asylum it operated. This Magdalene Laundry featured in the ‘Sex In A Cold Climate’ documentary. I wrote to the newspaper and the editor has agreed to publish my letter. There had been an attempt to remove a statue for the Magdalene Women in the past and this historian making no mention of the Magdalene Laundry has caused anger.
“Ireland’s government is failing some of the most vulnerable in our society. For this we should all feel shame.”
Why should ALL Irish people feel shame for what the Irish government did and are still doing to Irish society? That the same as saying every Irish adult is responsible for what happened to every Irish child that was ever born.
That’s just fucking crazy!
They didn’t put an arch-catholic like McAleese in charge for no reasons. If you can rig the investigators you can rig the investigation.
Why is it that when the state does the deciding it takes so long. the laundrys have been closed now for 16 years or so. where do the uncared about go now.what has been done things change but not for all in the same way. if the hospitals and hotels used these laundrys then there are traces. did the state pay for the washing and ironing.!!! where has the benefits gone.taking the freedom of life from someone cant be right.