Treatment of girls in laundries ‘constituted slavery’

The treatment of women and girls in Magdalene Laundries across Ireland “constituted slavery” which should be subject to a criminal probe.

In his latest report, special rapporteur on child protection and child law expert Geoffrey Shannon, said the State’s refusal “to accept responsibility [on the Magdalene Laundry issue] has served to deny survivors the redress to which they are clearly entitled”.

“The detention and use of women and girls as workers without pay would amount to ‘forced labour’ under the 1930 Forced Labour Convention of the International Labour Organisation, which Ireland signed in 1931. It appears from the reports provided by these women and girls that their treatment constituted slavery,” he said.