IRELAND
Irish Times
JOE HUMPHREYS
A leading academic and researcher on the Magdalene laundries said it was very significant that “nowhere does the report call into question” the testimony of survivors.
James M Smith, associate professor in the English department and Irish studies programme at Boston College, said the committee did “not once call into question any testimony, recollection or memory of any of the survivors; that is an important admission”.
It was “very significant because the State had the option of calling into question” what it had previously depicted as “allegations”, but chose not to do so.
Dr Smith, who is the author of a book on the subject as well as a member of the Justice for Magdalenes advisory committee, said he was disappointed, however, with the Government’s response.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.