IRELAND
Irish Times

Marie O’Halloran

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has appealed for the Government to be given “space” and time to put a structure in place to bring “closure and reconciliation” for women in the Magdalene laundries.

Speaking in the Dáil as he came under pressure to give a full apology to the estimated 1,000 survivors, Mr Kenny said “on behalf of the State I am sorry that so many women worked and were resident in Magdalene laundries in a very harsh, authoritarian environment”.
‘Unequivocal apology’

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the McAleese report on the laundries was clear that “an unequivocal apology should be given to the women of the Magdalene laundries”.

Mr Martin apologised for Fianna Fáil’s failure to deal with the Magdalene laundries while in power. He said the only effective way to remove the stigma for survivors was a State apology declaring that what…