TAOISEACH APPEALS FOR SPACE IN FORMULATING RESPONSE TO MAGDALENE REPORT

Date Published: 06-Feb-2013

The Taoiseach’s again declined to offer a full and sincere apology to the survivors of the Magdalene laundries appealing for "space" to formulate the Government’s response.

The religious congregation that ran the Galway Magdalen laundry is inviting women who may have spent time there to come meet with the order.

In a statement, the Sisters of Mercy say they acknowledge and are saddened by the limitations of the care that was provided in the laundries.

The laundry on Forster Street closed in the city closed in 1984.

Opposition parties have rounded on Enda Kenny in the Dáil this morning after groups representing the women expressed their outrage that he hadn’t given them the apology they expected.

But the Taoiseach says the report needs to be examined, reflected on and debated in the Dáil in two weeks time.

And in a signal that he may make an apology then, he appealed for space to decide what to do.