Clare Daly
Ceist:76. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will backdate the pensions of Magdalen survivors participating in the ex gratia scheme to retirement age. [9124/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 23 February 2017
Ceisteanna (76)
Freagraí scríofa
The Magdalen Laundries Restorative Justice Ex Gratia Scheme was set up following the publication of the report in February, 2013 of an Inter-Departmental Committee set up to establish the facts of the State's involvement with the Magdalen Laundries. It was chaired by then Senator Martin McAleese and it is commonly referred to as the McAleese report. The material in the Report relates to 10 different institutions which were run by 4 different Orders of nuns over a period of 70 years. Although there was no finding in the McAleese Report which indicated that the State had any liability in the matter, following the report’s publication the Taoiseach issued a State apology to the women. Mr. Justice Quirke was asked by the Government to make recommendations on an appropriate redress scheme for those who were in the 10 Magdalen laundries that were the subject of the McAleese Report. The Government also included in the scheme the laundry that was attached to Stanhope Street Training School and later also decided to include a 12th institution, the Training School in Summerhill.
Under the terms of the Magdalen Ex-Gratia Scheme all eligible applicants, in addition to their to their lump sum payment, receive a payment to bring their weekly income from the State to the equivalent of the State Contributory pension. The Department of Social Protection established a special scheme to facilitate this payment. All payments due to the women have been back dated to the 1 August, 2013 in accordance with the Government decision.