Do the decent thing by the Magdalene women

The elderly Magdalene women are unhappy with the Redress for Women Resident in Certain Institutions Bill, 2014. 

There is limited time for this State to finally do right by the Magdalene women. Just this weekend, one more of the women died, and still the Taoiseach’s promises of two years ago have not been honoured.

This makes me furious and disappointed.

Any country or government should be judged by how they treat the weakest or least powerful people and these women have been treated in degrading and inhumane ways, in some cases for their whole lives.

March 8 is International Women’s day and, as a mark of respect from this government, I am asking that they heed the concerns of the women and amend the legislation.

This is what the women and their representative organisations have asked the Government to do. And, yes, it is that simple.

The women’s requirements are minimal and the cost of realising the amendments they seek is not likely to greatly exceed the cost of the services provided for under the current bill.

And what do they want?

They want security, health, care, peace of mind, their pension entitlements backdated to their retirement age, and they want to not have to negotiate their entitlements piecemeal with the various service providers.

These are reasonable demands made by people more forgiving than any of us deserve.

Sarah Clancy

Honeyvale

Lower Taylor’s Hill

Galway