There has been a mixed reaction from survivors' groups to the
Government's decision to ask an independently chaired committee of civil
servants to 'clarify any State interaction with the Magdalene
laundries'.
The Justice for Magdalenes group welcomed the planned meetings, but
said it also has an important contribution to make to the
inter-departmental committee.
It wants to present evidence detailing what it says is the State's complicity in incarcerating many laundry women and girls.
The Magdalene Survivors Together organisation expressed
disappointment that it will take up to three months for the
inter-departmental group to deliver an initial report.
It asked how much longer the Government intends to delay justice for the women.
Yesterday's Government decision followed last week's finding by the
UN Committee Against Torture that the State failed to protect girls and
women involuntarily confined in the Magdalene laundries up until the
1980s.
Ministers Alan Shatter and Kathleen Lynch are to meet the four orders
of nuns that ran the laundries and survivors' groups to discuss issues
such as making restitution to survivors.