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ENDA KENNY HAS apologised to Magdalene Laundries survivors, in an emotional speech this evening in the Dáil.
Overcome with emotion, his voice broke towards the end of the speech, as he told the women: “Let me hope that this day and this debate heralds a new dawn for all those who feared that the dark midnight might never end”.
https://soundcloud.com/thejournal_gav/enda-kenny-struggles-to-keep
The apology received a standing ovation from all present, with the Dáil members looking to the Magdalene survivors in the gallery as they clapped.
Apology
Speaking at tonight’s Dáil discussion on the inter-departmental report into State involvement in the laundries, he described what Magdalene women had said to him about their experiences, and told them:
Therefore, I, as Taoiseach, on behalf of the State, the government and our citizens deeply regret and apologise unreservedly to all those women for the hurt that was done to them, and for any stigma they suffered, as a result of the time they spent in a Magdalen Laundry.
The Taoiseach said that the McAleese report “shines a bright and necessary light on a dark chapter of Ireland’s history”.
He said that:
[This] government was adamant that these ageing and elderly women would get the compassion and the recognition for which they have fought for so long deserved so deeply and had, until now, been so abjectly denied.
The reality is that for 90 years Ireland subjected these women and their experience to a profound and studied indifference.
I was determined because of this that this Government, this Dail, would take the necessary time not just to commission the Report but to actually study it and having done so to reflect on its findings.
His apology came days after he met with survivors in London, who had said afterwards that they expected a heartfelt apology from him on behalf of the State.
Speaking earlier today, Steven O’ Riordan, head of Magdalene Survivors Together, said the women were also “extremely confident that the Taoiseach will in some way extend the apology to include St Mary’s Training School, Stanhope Street, Dublin and St Mary’s Training Centre, Summerhill, Wexford.”
The Taoiseach said that the apology extended to all women who had been admitted to the laundries, as well as women in other residential laundries such as the laundry operated in the Training Centre at Stanhope Street, Dublin.
The laundries “have cast a long shadow over Irish life, over our sense of who we are,” said Kenny. Speaking of the women watching the proceedings from the gallery, he said he was privileged to welcome some of the women to the House.
Ordeal
He told the women:
What we address today is how you took this country’s terrible ‘secret’ and made it your own.
Burying it carrying it in your hearts here at home, or with you to England and to Canada America and Australia on behalf of Ireland and the Irish people. But from this moment on you need carry it no more.
Because today we take it back.
Today we acknowledge the role of the State in your ordeal.
The Taoiseach had been criticised for his initial response to the publication of the McAleese report, with survivors expressing their disappointment at the lack of an apology.
It was anticipated that details of a compensation package would also be given tonight, and Kenny told the Dáil that on reflecting on the report, he has come to the view that the women deserve more than this formal apology.
That’s why the Government has today asked the President of the Law Reform Commission Judge John Quirke to undertake a three month review and to make recommendations as to the criteria that should be applied in assessing the help that the government can provide in the areas of payments and other supports, including medical cards, psychological and counselling services and other welfare needs.
When Judge Quirke has reported back, the government will establish a Fund to assist the women, based on his recommendations.
He said that he is determined that the fund will be primarily used to help the women – as is their stated and strong desire – not for legal or administrative costs.
He agrees that a permanent memorial to Magdalene survivors should be established, and intends to engage directly with the representative groups and as many of the women as possible to agree on this. It will be financed by the Government separately from the funds being set aside for the direct assistance to the women.
“This is a national shame,” said the Taoiseach, “for which I again say, I am deeply sorry and offer my full and heartfelt apologies.”
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Perhaps it is time that JIMMY and the rest cut the cost of membership and there own salaries
Has he disclosed his salary and the value of his add ons ect what does it come to over the year
Jimmy, you are a bit of an eejit if you don’t know the effects of a pay cut!
Mind you, most of your members are reasonably well paid in secure pensionable jobs, not like the rest of us.
The government over employed in the public sector in the boom years to artificially inflate the figures, reality is a hard pill to swallow but a necessary one for the survival and recovery of the country.
30% of teachers are now part time casual workers on very low money.
Jimmy give us a break…sure the amount you and your trade union buddies earn nearly comes to the 1 billion mark!!
You employee. Us employer. You don’t make demands.
Vincent if u live a democracy (we don’t). It’s your right (privilege is a better word, right aren’t rights if they can take them away from u, are they?)
Anyways workers have the privilege to contest changes, yes?
I agree though no union leader/ TD should be on more than 3 times the industrial wage, as they have lost touch with those they are there to represent.
Jack o Connor recent outburst at those who disagree with him, is an example
Contest changes indeed, but if a company is haemorrhaging money, the company must act. Likewise the state must act in this case. Otherwise long term everyone pays more through increased taxation. Then again, selfless acts aren’t too common in Ireland today.
Brian. Agreed, it’s the method they are using which is unjust
But if a company is failing due to leadership issues it will make no difference what the workers scarf ice to keep it afloat, as the steering group of the company will repeat errors, or bow to external pressures again & again
Also to get everybody on board true leadership must be shown for example a 10% cut for staff, should be mirrored with a 20% cut for Mgt, want to drive change u must live that change, only thing FG are driving is this country off a fiscal cliff!
Why do all union chiefs have beards are are from north Dublin?
#Vincent Dolan, just because a person is an employee doesn’t mean they don’t have rights. Look at how Foxconn treat their workers, that’s what all employers want, that’s the way we are going in both private and public sectors. Less of the public/private division and more workers standing together.
It’s not rocket science Jimmy. It means that we shouldn’t have to borrow as much over the next few years. Still need to reduce the budget defecit.
What annoys me is the fact that most TD,S are claiming 60 grand per year in Unvouched Tax Free expenses and everyone seems to think its acceptable while the same gombeen men tell us they must slash peoples incomes !!!!!
I fully accept that I am going to have to take a significant pay cut. However, for every €1,000 I’m cut I will pay €420 less in income tax, about €100 less USC, over €100 less pension contributions to the government – over €600. The €400 less I’ll bring home will reduce discretionary spending – loss of another €80 in VAT. Down to €300 now. If 100 like me are in the same boat then that’s €30,000 less spent in the economy – 1 job gone as a result.
Savings of €1 billion in the pay bill does not mean €1 billion less in the deficit
Yep, we should obviously just give everybody in the PS a payrise of 1000 euros thus resulting in an increase in the tax take, and solving all our economic problems in one fell swoop.
Very good point from unite. Cuts in some ways are justified but there are many questions.
How much of the savings of 1 bn are to come from
People earning less than 50 k pa, 50 to 70 k, 70k to 90k, etc.?
What prices under the governments control will be reduced or held steady?
How much will be spent on stimulating growth?
When will the burden of income tax on the lower paid be reduced to cover the cost of other taxes, such as property, water, waste,
What is the tax strategy for the next 5 years (e.g. Will vat return to 21% max and when?) also when will corporations start to pay a reasonable share of the taxes?
‘How much will be spent on growth’…when the government reduce their wage bill, there is no extra money to be spent, just less money to borrow. Try to have some knowledge of the subject before entering into the debate.
It has already been said that any savings will go to pay the illegal gambling debt. Which part of this do people not understand? Jack and Jimmy would do better to get Begg to withdraw his outrageous support for the property tax.
Brian, you should read the comment again and you will see that there is no contradiction in what I say. Furthermore, the government is committed to spending some of the proceeds of the sale of assets on growth stimulation. I am happy I know enough about the situation to enter a debate with anyone open minded on the subject.
“Participants in the talks have not been told why the cuts are so necessary”
Where have the unions been for the past 5 years?
We’re broke!!!
David, Ireland is not broke, quite a wealthy country in fact
You’re right, we’re minted. All this talk of borrowing from the IMF is mere waffle.
How so? Please enlighten us.
JIMMY you should know better than anyone you’re members have nothing left to give simple word every union official used to know but seem to have forgot No
Your.
Punctuation, grammar and spelling fail
A 10% cut would take a minimum of €50 out of 290,000 workers weekly pay which is subsequently taken out of the economy with less income tax received by the government and less income to be spent on goods and services from Irish companies by the workers and therefore less vat received. Another sensible plan please
I was simply using this as example Anto, not a plan, but lets here your plan?
Brian look up stats surrounding wealth per country, disregard those countries who are major oil producers, then u might be surprised, plus ur mixing up wealth extracted by a Govt, not available wealth in a country, these are the details TDs use to confuse you, just look a little deeper!
Because all the money used to pay those wages just falls out of the sky, doesn’t it. Clueless.
Good old Jimmy. He never changes his tune.
So Jimmy believes no need to balance the budget.
We can simply keep borrowing money for ever. We can keep spending more money than we take in as taxes.
What a great idea, sure our lenders will not be rude enough to ask for repayment.
Jimmy has not changed much since his days in the Socailist Workers Party.
I would say these questions have been devised by the likes of Michael Taft, the UNITE economist who has articles on this site now and again. He is most certainly not in the SWP.
have your say