Tribute to Senator McAleese: The Magdalene Report: The Walsh Report

In the Order of Business in the Seanad today I paid tribute to Senator Martin McAleese who has made a tremendous contribution to the work of the Seanad in his role on the Committee for the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and for his work on the report on the Magdalene Laundries published today. He will be greatly missed in the Seanad.
I asked that those women who suffered such injustices while in the Magdalene Laundries should receive an apology and compensation for what they endured.

I also called for the Minister for Health, James Reilly, to publish the long-awaited Walsh report on the Symphysiotomy issue as this is another case where women who suffered terrible injury and hurt have had to wait many years for their plight to be addressed. At the very least I want the Minister to give a firm date for the publishing of the Walsh report.