Cervical smear scandal: An apology and a clear blueprint

It’s just over 20 years since, as taoiseach, Bertie Ahern apologised on behalf of the Irish people to those who had spent their childhood in a residential institutions run by one of 18 religious congregations. His successor, Brian Cowen,reiterated that apology a decade later.

In 2013, Enda Kenny apologised unreservedly to the survivors of the Magdalene Laundries. Each of those contritions was justified and probably overdue. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar continued that tradition yesterday when he offered a State apology over the cervical smear scandal.