THE JUSTICE MINISTER Alan Shatter has confirmed that the first
payments to survivors of the Magdalene Laundries will be made in the
next four to six weeks.
Speaking in the Dáil this evening, Shatter said that over 600
applications have been made for lump-sum payments from the redress
scheme established by his Department in the wake of the McAleese report.
Of these, Shatter said that over 200 applications have been processed
to an advanced stage and the final details of the scheme were agreed at
Cabinet this morning.
He said he expects his Department to be in a position to make its
first offers of payments to survivors of the laundries in the next four
to six weeks.
He also said that the provision of other benefits, including weekly
payments from the Department of Social Protection and medical services
from the Department of Health, will be dependent on the introduction of
administrative and legislative measures and said work has already begun
on this.
Shatter said these payments will be backdated to 1 August 2013.
He also said that woman who receive payments should ascertain
independent legal advice before signing a waiver not to take proceedings
against the State.
He said up to €500 will be made available to these women towards the cost of obtaining this legal advice.