Press release, for immediate release. Dublin, Tuesday 5 February 2013
Ireland’s human rights watchdog, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has today (19 February 2013) strongly backed calls from Justice for Magdalenes (JFM), the survivor advocacy group, for a transparent reparations and restorative justice scheme for survivors of the Magdalene laundries.
Speaking at a Dáil briefing organised jointly with JFM and Amnesty International Ireland, ICCL Director Mr Mark Kelly said:
“The direct involvement of the State in the Magdalene laundries has been established unequivocally by the McAleese report. Two weeks ago, when Martin McAleese’s report appeared, the ICCL called on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to issue a full and frank apology on behalf of the State to the women of the Magdalene laundries; however, he baulked at that opportunity. We trust that, over the last fortnight, the Taoiseach has had sufficient time to digest the full magnitude of the State’s responsibilities to survivors and that he will discharge his duty to apologise properly during the Dáil debate on the McAleese report this afternoon”.
“A full and frank apology by the Taoiseach must be followed swiftly by a transparent scheme to compensate victims for the damage that they have suffered during and after their time in the Magdalene laundries. As Justice for Magdalenes have insisted, this must apply to all victims without exception; any attempt on the part of the State to parse the suffering of those whom it ignored for so long will certainly prove more costly in the end”.
For further information contact:
Walter Jayawardene
Communications Manager
Irish Council for Civil Liberties
9-13 Blackhall Place
Dublin 7
Ireland
Tel. + 353 1 799 4503
Mob: +353 87 9981574
Fax. + 353 1 799 4512
E-mail walter.jayawardene@iccl.ie
Web www.iccl.ie
Note to editors:
In anticipation of the Dáil debate today (19 February 2013) on the report of the Inter Departmental Committee to establish the facts of State Involvement with the Magdalene Laundries, the ICCL, Justice for Magdalenes and Amnesty International Ireland will be holding a joint briefing session for members of the Oireachtas from 1pm in the AV Room in Leinster House today.
Further background:
• The report of the Inter-Departmental Committee Investigating State Involvement with the Magdalene Laundries, chaired by Senator Martin McAleese, was published 5 February 2013 and is available here: http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/MagdalenRpt2013
• The Inter-Departmental Committee was set up following Ireland’s formal examination by the United Nations Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) on 23-24 May 2011. The question of State responsibility for the treatment of women in the Magdalene laundries from 1922 – 1996 was one of the major issues that arose during the examination. During the UNCAT hearings the Irish Government was subject to searching questions by UN Committee members, particularly by member Ms Felice Gaer, who questioned Government claims that the laundries were not the responsibility of the state, and that inmates went there voluntarily. Ms Gaer also underlined the State’s obligation to prevent rights abuses such as those committed in the Magdalene Laundries, regardless of whether or not they were State-run.
• The ICCL and Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) arranged a live webcast of the UNCAT hearing on 23-24 May 2011. Footage is still available in full, in three recorded segments, at http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/14908354. Footage of Felice Gaer’s specific comments about the Magdalene Laundries can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YsUMPiFjUuk (at 48 seconds).
• The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) is Ireland’s independent human rights watchdog, which monitors, educates and campaigns in order to secure full enjoyment of human rights for everyone. The ICCL is an entirely independent organisation and does not rely on government support or funding. Founded in 1976 by Mary Robinson and others, the ICCL has played a leading role in some of Ireland’s most successful human rights campaigns. These have included campaigns to establish an independent Garda Ombudsman Commission, legalise the right to divorce, secure more effective protection of children’s rights, decriminalise homosexuality and introduce enhanced equality legislation. Since 1976 the ICCL has tirelessly lobbied the State to ensure the full implementation in Ireland of international human rights standards.