Failing to apologise to Bethany Home survivors would be final insult
Green Party Justice, Equality & Defence spokesperson, Roderic O'Gorman has stated that a failure by the State to fully apologies to survivors of the Bethany Home would be a final insult on top of the suffering they have already endured. He was speaking in light of the Taoiseach's apologies to survivors of Magdalene Laundries and the creation of a redress scheme for women incarcerated there.
"Yesterday, the Taoiseach took a major step in confronting the deep injustice done to thousands of women who were forced into the Magdalene Laundries, through his full and genuine apology, on behalf of the State. No one listening could have been unmoved by his words, and their importance for these women.
"Having taken this step in respect of the Magdalene Laundries survivors, it is vital that a similar apology is extended to survivors of other institutions which were in some way linked to the State. The Bethany Home served as a place of remand for certain female prisoners, and was also subject to State inspection as a maternity home.
"The Taoiseach has done great good in his apology yesterday. He must now undertake to ensure that the events in all other institutions where people were mistreated are investigated and that he, on behalf of the State, must deliver similar apologies to these victims." concluded Roderic O'Gorman.
ENDS