Magdalene Laundries

Human rights lawyer Colin Smith BL has been appointed to the truth recovery independent panel for Northern Ireland's mother and baby institutions, Magdalene laundries and workhouses. The independent panel forms part of the integrated truth investigation recommended by the truth recovery design panel

A special advocate for survivors will be appointed to represent the collective interests of those who suffered institutional abuse, the government has announced. The proposal to appoint a special advocate originates in the action plan for survivors and former residents of mother and baby homes and c

Christopher Stanley, litigation consultant at KRW LAW LLP in Belfast, offers a timely review of a new book documenting the campaign for victims and survivors of Magdalene laundries. For almost 15 years I have practised law predominantly concerned with addressing the human rights deficit created by t

A statutory public inquiry into mother and baby institutions and Magdalane laundries in Northern Ireland will take place as part of an "integrated truth investigation", the Northern Ireland Executive has announced. Ministers have agreed all recommendations in the report produced by the truth recover

An expert panel appointed to help design a victim-centred independent investigation into mother and baby homes and Magdalene laundries in Northern Ireland has called for a statutory public inquiry. The independent truth recovery panel, comprising social worker Deirdre Mahone and legal academics Dr M

Human rights experts Professor Phil Scraton and Dr Maeve O'Rourke have been appointed as part of a three-person team to establish the terms of reference for a fully independent investigation into mother and baby homes and Magdalene laundries in Northern Ireland. The "truth recovery design team" will

Former police officer Judith Gillespie has been appointed for a one-year term as the new independent chair on an inter-departmental working group on Mother and Baby Homes, Magdalene laundries and historical clerical child abuse. Ms Gillespie is the third person named as chair of the troubled group,

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has said he is pursuing the establishment of a permanent memorial dedicated to the women of the Magdalen laundries. Mr Flanagan made the commitment after publishing the first report of the Dublin Honours Magdalenes events, held over two days in 2018 to fulfil two ke

A new UN investigation into Ireland's treatment of a woman who was abused in Magdalene laundries for nearly two decades has wide-ranging implications, a human rights expert has warned. The UN Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) has launched an investigation into the State's treatment of 70-year-old El

The number of complaints made to the Ombudsman rose by 11 per cent last year, new figures reveal. Ombudsman Peter Tyndall received more than 3,300 complaints in 2018, mostly (1,065) about services provided by government departments, according to his 2018 annual report.

The Department of Justice has dropped a dispute with 14 women who applied to the Magdalene laundries redress scheme. The Department said it now accepts "on the balance of probabilities" that the 14 women did work in the High Park Magdalene Laundry after 1980, the Irish Examiner reports.