550 women come forward for Magdalene compensation

IRELAND
Irish Independent

Michael Brennan Deputy Political Editor– 23 February 2013

THE number of Magdalene Laundry survivors who have come forward for a new compensation scheme has now reached 550.

The numbers getting in touch with the Department of Justice’s special helpline have steadily climbed from an initial 200 earlier in the week.

A compensation fund is being set up as a result of Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s historic state apology to the women for the ordeal they had suffered.

The Magdalene Survivors Together group wants a payment of €20,000 for each year that a woman worked without wages in a Magdalene Laundry – and a lump sum payment of €50,000 each for psychological damage.

The maximum amount paid to any woman would be capped at €200,000 regardless of how many years she had worked in the laundry.

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