Crowe Calls For Magdalene Answers

Dublin South West representative Seán Crowe TD has called on the Justice Minister Alan Shatter to address the very serious concerns raised by United Nations Committe Against Torture regarding the Magdalene Laundries  Report.
The United Nations torture watchdog criticised the McAleese inquiry into the Magdalene laundries, saying it lacked many elements of a “prompt, independent and thorough” investigation.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“The United Nations Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) monitors implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by different countries

“The torture committee said it had received information from several sources highlighting that the McAleese report, despite its length and detail, “did not conduct a fully independent investigation into allegations of arbitrary detention, forced labour or ill-treatment”.

“We also know that UNCAT recently wrote to Minister Alan Shatter setting out a number of very serious concerns regarding the Magdalene Laundries Inter-Departmental Committee Report and that groups representing the women believe it did not fully capture the prevalence of abuse and ill-treatment in the laundries.

Claire McGettrick of Justice for Magdalenes said it shared many of the concerns raised by the UN committee. The group had submitted 796 pages of testimony to the inquiry team, but “not one syllable” drawn from those documents appeared in the final report.

The McAleese report  alleged that there was little abuse in the laundries but that does not mirror the survivor testimony that has  absolutely consistent over the decades.

The Minister needs to address the UN torture watchdogs concerns urgently, as any delay will bring further hurt to those  innocent Magdalene women.

“Concerns raised by Felice D Gaer, the UN  Rapporteur, stated that the Inter-Departmental report lacked many elements of a prompt, independent and thorough investigation, as recommended by UNCAT

“She also notes that the report did not conduct a full independent investigation into allegations of arbitrary detention, forced labour or ill-treatment despite the State receiving extensive survivor testimony in the form of reports by Justice for Magdalenes. In addition she notes the State was aware of the existence of possible criminal wrongdoings, including physical and psychological abuse.

“This is a deeply serious matter and Minister Shatter needs to respond to UNCAT’s and survivor groups criticisms as a matter of urgency.”