THE JOURNAL
Marina Gambold, Maureen Sullivan, Mary McGuinness, Kathleen Janette, Steven O’Riordan, Geraldine Cronin and Julie McClure of Magdalene Survivors Together leaving Leinster House in Dublin after hearing Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s state apology in Februrary. PHOTO/Niall Carson/PA Archive/Press Association Images
‘WOMEN’S ISSUES’ IS not at term that should be used often. At best, it is largely inaccurate. At worst, well, it doesn’t really mean anything.
Ireland has been dealing with a number of ‘human rights’ issues over the past 12 months, just many of them happen to have women at their centre.
But that does not mean that those matters only impact female citizens.
Ireland does not have a great track record in terms of rights for women, children and other vulnerable residents. And during the past 12 months, it has admitted that in various ways.
The country has gone about – in an unprecedented way – to set some of those wrongs right.
It hasn’t always succeeded. There have been slip ups. But even the fact that we were talking about the Magdalene Laundries, symphysiotomies, Michael Neary’s victims, domestic violence and maternity care during 2013 highlighted the efforts being made.
Unfortunately for survivor groups, support organisations and victims, economic woes, government u-turns and a lack of across-the-board political will have often meant we fell at the last hurdle.
On 19 February, Enda Kenny found it difficult to keep his emotions in check as he issued a formal, State apology to those women who were denied their childhoods, rights to education and freedom at the Magdalene Laudries.
The moment came after years of campaigning, painstaking research by academics and the mammoth McAleese Report which the Taoiseach said “shined a light on the dark history” of the infamous institutions.
Although there were tears of joys and hugs among survivors who were sitting in the gallery of the Dáil that day, the apology did not bring the full closure required.
There are still quibbles over the compensation to be paid out, as well as criticisms of the limitations of the report which confirmed there was State involvement in sending young girls into the system.
At the end of last month, the UN Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) asked the State to provide information about the redress plans. It also called for a ‘prompt, independent and thorough’ investigation into the Magdalene Laundries and have asked the State to provide information on the work done to date to achieve this.
Its submission to the Irish authorities discusses the McAleese Report into the Magdalene Laundries but notes that “the duration of stay was not recorded for 58 per cent of admissions to the Magdalene Laundries”.
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