OPINION (Dan Buckley) - Slaves by any definition

Alan Shatter disputed the accusation this week that the women of the Magdalene Laundries were slaves. Of course they were, writes Dan Buckley

WHEN Justice (and Defence and God knows what else) Minister Alan Shatter was having his newly published Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) (Amendment) Bill drafted, he decided to include in it a definition of what is meant by forced labour.

He used the same meaning as is contained in the International Labour Organisation Convention No 29 of 1930 on Forced or Compulsory Labour, which Ireland signed the following year.