State referred more than a quarter of the 10,000 who were detained in laundries

More than 10,000 women spent time in Magdalene Laundries across the country between 1922 and 1996.

More than one quarter of all official referrals were made by the State, an 18-month inquiry chaired by Senator Martin McAleese has found.

The inquiry identified five areas where there was direct State involvement in the detention of women in 10 laundries run by nuns.