IRELAND
Irish Times
The emotional apology offered by Taoiseach Enda Kenny to women who experienced a “rigid and uncompromising regime of physically demanding work and prayer” within Magdalene laundries went far beyond what was expected. The decision to include all women in a compensation scheme was generous and compassionate. But it was an acknowledgment that so-called penitents were not to blame for their situation and that the core moral failing lay with the State that represented the most important advance.
Two weeks ago Mr Kenny was sharply criticised – even by those who had specifically excluded Magdalenes from access to previous redress schemes – for not offering a State apology. Yesterday, he made amends. So did Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin who apologised, in turn, for not acting on their behalf while in government.
In his meetings with groups of Magdalene women, the Taoiseach gained personal knowledge of just how dreadful their experiences had been. That was reflected in an impressive Dáil speech. He made no attempt to justify the “terrible and inflexible times” that existed in the “cruel and pitiless Ireland of moral subservience” that existed during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. But he promised that surviving women would be treated in a compassionate and non-adversarial way. Recommendations on a redress scheme will be made by Judge John Quirke within three months.
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