Vow of silence over Magdalene redress

I recently received a letter from Justice Minister Alan Shatter’s office, following a query I made about the Magdalene Laundries and about financial contributions by the religious orders.

The letter stated: “The minister was disappointed that the religious congregations decided against making a financial contribution to the Magdalene Scheme. The minister is not in a position to compel the religious congregations to make a financial contribution.”

The letter said that it was “the Government’s view that they have a moral obligation to make a reasonable contribution to the fund required under the scheme” and that the minister had asked the four congregations involved to reconsider their response.