Survivors of the Magdalene laundries deserve better – Nugent

Survivors of the Magdalene laundries deserve better – Nugent Sinn Féin City Councillor Mick Nugent has said that the women involved in the Magadalene laundries deserve better than the result of a motion that came before the Dáil on the issue in September. The Sinn Féin motion called on the Government to provide redress for survivors of the Magdalene laundries. Unfortunately, the motion was defeated by 75 votes to 43. Now, Cllr. Nugent brings a motion before Cork City Council tonight calling on local councillors to declare their regret that the motion was defeated in Leinster House. Cllr. Nugent said: “The motion, in September, called on the Government to provide justice for the women who suffered horrifically in the Magdalene laundries . These women deserve an unconditional apology from this state. They deserve compensation and full pension rights.” “This is not a party-political issue. I hope that many of my fellow councillors, from across the political spectrum, disagree with the result of the vote in the Dáil. We very much hope to get the support of even those councillors who are representatives of the Government parties.” Cllr. Nugent stated that the women are now mostly aging and elderly and that it is great importance that their demand for justice is met urgently by the Government. “I don’t accept that the motion required any TD or any member of the Government to pre-empt the details of the forthcoming report on the issue. The content of the motion was rights-centred and focused on the injustice of the women being excluded from the Residential Institutional Redress Scheme. We have an obligation to ensure that justice is delivered as soon as possible. I don’t think the defeat of that motion at national level helped that objective. This motion presents Cork City Councillors with an opportunity to express solidarity with the women of the Magdalene laundries. They deserve better." ENDS For further information please contact Cllr.Mick Nugent on 0876755793