Opportunity Lost An investigation by the Ombudsman into the administration of the Magdalen Restorative Justice Scheme

The incarceration of women in the Magdalen laundries and the forced labour to which they were subjected is one of the sorriest episodes in our history. It was exacerbated by the failure of Irish society to act over many years to highlight and tackle the injustice suffered by these women. The heartfelt apology of former Taoiseach Enda Kenny and the creation of a restorative justice scheme were intended to reflect the shame of the nation and offer some acknowledgement and recompense to the women.
This report looks at the administration of that restorative justice scheme. When I first began my investigation, my focus was primarily on the way in which the eligibility criteria for the Scheme were interpreted. As a result of the Department’s narrow interpretation some women who lived in the convents and worked in the laundries were excluded from admission to the Scheme. I should stress that I am not seeking to add new institutions to the Scheme. However, I have seen a significant amount of evidence which shows that some of the Magdalen laundries were inextricably linked with other units attached to the laundries or located on the same grounds and should be considered to be one and the same institution.

http://www.ombudsman.ie/en/Publications/Investigation-Reports/government-departments-other-public-bodies/Magdalen-Report/Magdalen-Scheme.pdf