IRELAND
Irish Times

Tue, Oct 15, 2013

All lump sum payments to women who had been in the Magdalene laundries will be tax exempt, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan announced today.

“The Government has decided to give effect to one of the main recommendations of Mr Justice Quirke, in relation to his report on the individuals who worked in Magdalene Laundries,” he said in his Budget speech. “ To this effect, I am announcing that all lump sum payments to claimants will be tax exempt.”

Under the scheme prepared by Mr Justice John Quirke in his recent report and announced last June, women who had been in the laundries are to receive lump sum payments of between €11,500 and €100,000 for time spent in the institutions. Payment of the money is not dependent on proof of any hardship, injury or abuse.

A woman who spent three months or less…