Government Announces Compensation Scheme for Magdalene Survivors

Galway Bay Fm
June 26, 2013

http://www.galwaybayfm.ie/index.php/component/k2/item/1601-government-announces-compensation-scheme-for-magdalene-survivors

Galway Bay fm newsroom - The Government has unveiled a compensation scheme worth up to 58 million euro for the survivors of the Magdalene Laundries.　

The Sisters of Mercy ran the Magdalene laundry at Forster street in the city until it closed in 1984, and in April the religous order announced it was giving the property behind the former Anglo Irish building to Cope Galway on a 99 year lease.

The redress package - which is based on the recommendations of High Court judge Mr Justice John Quirke - provides for counselling services and medical cards for each of the women.

It will be available to around 700 women who were kept in the laundries - with payments ranging from between 11-and-a-half thousand and 100-thousand euro depending on the length of their incarceration.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter says he hopes the religious orders who ran the laundries will contribute to the fund.