Cowen ‘trying to deny implications of state’s complicity over laundries’

AN ADVOCACY group seeking redress for former residents of Magdalene laundries has accused the Taoiseach of attempting to “deny” the implications of the state’s role in sending girls to the institutions.

In a response to a parliamentary question from Deputy Michael Kennedy, Brian Cowen told the Dáil that he believed “the position of women in such laundries were not analogous with that of children in the residential institutions that were the subject of the Ryan Report”.

His response comes weeks after Cardinal Sean Brady told institutional abuse victims that he intended “to work towards a just solution” for the former Magdalene women.

Justice for Magdalenes (JFM), who have met with representatives from the departments of justice, education and health in recent months, has long argued that these departments were “complicit in referring women and children to the Magdalene laundries”. Much of their assertions have been accepted by the department officials they have met with.

Last night, JFM declared themselves “outraged” at Mr Cowen’s response to their fight for justice.

“The Taoiseach does not contest the fact that the departments and organs of the state were complicit. He merely seeks to deny its implications,” a JFM spokesman said.

“The Taoiseach’s response signals the state’s primary concern is to limit liability with respect to anticipated claims for compensation. Mr Cowen and his Government should, of course, be focused on providing justice for women and children denied their constitutional rights. Does Mr Cowen believe that the state, and in particular the Department of Education, did not have a moral and Constitutional obligation to protect every child from the exploitative work conditions in the laundries?”

In his response to the parliamentary question, Mr Cowen also said that Government departments “would be ready to help... with further inquiries as far as possible”.

However, last night JFM said they have asked the departments of justice and health and the Courts and Probation Services for records on women they knew to be at the laundries.

“To date, our ‘enquiries’ have been met with polite acknowledgement and nothing more,” the JFM spokesman said.