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Updated 7.10pm
THE GOVERNMENT HAS confirmed that it will not be introducing a specific redress scheme for survivors of the Bethany Home.
In a statement this evening, the government said that it has decided not to introduce a redress scheme but said it is willing to look at the question of a memorial and making records related to the home available to survivors.
Bethany Home was a residential home in Dublin for ‘fallen women’ but was not included in the 2002 Residential Institutions Redress scheme as the women were said to be there voluntarily. It was also not part of the recent report into the Magadalene Laundries.
Justice Minister Alan Shatter said that he and Minister of State Kathleen Lynch met with survivors in April and had said at the time that the government did not wish to raise unrealistic expectations but would consult with colleagues on the matter.
“That consultation has now taken place and Government has decided that it is not appropriate that a scheme be put in place for Bethany Home,” Shatter said in a statement this evening.
“I understand this is disappointing for the group involved but the Government has taken its time and arrived carefully at this decision.”
Derek Leinster, a survivor of the home and chair of the Bethany Survivors Group, was not aware of the decision when contacted this evening but upon being told of it said he was “devastated” and “bewildered”.
“The fight isn’t over, you can be sure of that. Justice hasn’t been done, until it has been done we won’t stop and we’ll never give up,” he added, saying that the group would be prepared to go to court over the matter.
Prior to the announcement, Sinn Féin Deputy Leader Mary Lou McDonald TD said Taoiseach’s Enda Kenny failure to deliver on his commitment of a decision on Bethany Home following today’s cabinet meeting was “heartless”.
She said: “The Taoiseach wrote to Sinn Féin Leader Gerry Adams TD yesterday stating a decision on Bethany would be made at today’s cabinet meeting. No announcement has been made.”
She also said that the pain felt by survivors has been compounded by what occurred today.
- additional reporting Aoife Barry
First published 4.48pm
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They should do a book, they’s make thousands at Christmas. I recognised so many of the old one, good memories.
Good idea!!!
Lovely to see them. Thanks.
it was always hard for ireland to match up to john hinde postcards it was better than the real thing; glorious sunshine and sunsets in every postcard, but very nostalgic
when i lived in new zealand i always got a john hinde calendar from my family at christmas time .it made the long year more bearable for an irishman in exile . there must be thousands of these calendars hanging in irish homes all over australia and new zealand .it would be a shame to see it come to an end ..
Well, Kevin, let me tell you I live in New Zealand and have done for the past twelve years. Let’s see. We’ve got jobs, we don’t have the political corruption that is part of the fabric of Irish life. We have a fabulous climate. We don’t have the pollution and privatising of our precious countryside. We have space to move around in. We don’t have the fear of being mugged in our own homes. We have a healthy, happy and equitable multi-cultural country. We are not defined by bigotry and intolerance. We have excellent public services. We are not riddled by the inefficiencies and couldn’t-be-arsed values of the Civil Service. Best of all, we have a wonderful country to bring up happy, curious and adventurous children. We are encouraged to love and enjoy this hidden gem at the far end of the planet. Yes, i miss my friends and family terribly, but when they come to visit, they never want to go home. . David Green
Lovely to see all the old ones. I recognize some from my own collection. A collectors book would be lovely to have.
I always bought his postcards and sent them to family and friends across the Pond. I have loved looking through them.
Good, in these times, to see something of old Ireland that we can look back on with some fondness. Don’t forget the calendars at Christmas, maybe there’s hope for them.
yes i agree a collectors book would be great or/and a postcard book to maybe have at hand to sen when you like without having to call into shops to find maybe shop have none in stock so buy a book of them at a time
A romantic view of ourselves before we lost the run of things but beautiful all the same.
Fantastic photos.
Another piece of old Ireland disappears. The beauty of those pictures is a reminder of all we’ve lost.
have your say