Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan will brief Cabinet today of his intention to fully implement the Ombudsman’s recommendations on the Magdalene laundries redress scheme.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has reiterated that An Grianán “served a different purpose” to High Park Magdalene laundry — despite HSE evidence stating they were “one and the same thing”.

The Ombudsman has been criticised for its “bizarre” reasoning in refusing to uphold appeals from former residents of An Grianán seeking access to the Magdalene redress scheme.

The relentless work of Mary Raftery exposed what went on behind the walls of the Magdalene Laundries, writes Dan Buckley