Alliance from across Irish Society calls for Justice for Bethany Home Survivors

Published: Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Dear Editor,

We the undersigned are writing to you to express our deep concern at the situation of the survivors of the Bethany Home, Rathgar, Dublin.  We are aware that Justice Minister Alan Shatter and Minister of State Kathleen Lynch have met with representatives of the Bethany Survivors Group. They heard testimony that included evidence of state responsibility for death, abuse and neglect of children at the home.

The fact that these survivors have to date  been excluded from both the Residential Institutions Redress Scheme and the Magdalene Redress Scheme (despite initial indications, that the Bethany Home may be considered for inclusion in the latter scheme), leaves them in a state of vulnerability, uncertainty and in many cases poverty.

We call on the Taoiseach, as a matter of urgency, to ensure that justice is served to the survivors of the Bethany home and that the state affords them the peace and security that they deserve in these, their older years. We call on him to provide them with a process of non-adversarial redress and to provide assistance to them in their attempts to access to their records.

Yours etc,

Niall Meehan, Secretary, Bethany Survivors Group

Orla O’Connor, Director, National Women’s Council of Ireland

2-3 Parnell Square East

Dublin 1

 

On behalf of;

Breffni Belles Cavan Women's Network

Children’s Rights Alliance

Community Workers Co-operative

Domestic Violence Response

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre

European Anti Poverty Network Ireland

Headford Women’s Group

Irish Feminist Network

Irish Traveller Movement

Justice for Magdalenes Research

Migrant Rights Centre Ireland

National Collective of Community Based Women’s Networks

Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed

National Women’s Council of Ireland

One Family

One in Four

OPEN

Pavee Point

Rape Crisis Network Ireland

Rowlagh Women’s Group

South West Kerry Women’s Association

Survive and Thrive – breast cancer support and advocacy group

Women’s Aid

Women in Media and Entertainment

Women with Disabilities in the West

Global Women's Studies Centre, NUIG

Irish congress of Trade Unions

Irish Nurses and Midwives Association

National Union of Journalists

SIPTU

UNISON

UNITE the Union

Dr Anne Byrne School of  Political Science and Sociology, NUI Galway

Professor Patricia Coughlan , School of English, University College, Cork

Anastasia Crickley, Centre for Applied Social Studies, NUI, Maynooth

Dr. Breda Gray, Gender, Culture & Society Programmes at the University of Limerick.

Dr. Amanda Haynes, Lecturer in Sociology, University of Limerick

Mark Kelly, Director Irish Council for Civil Liberties

Prof Siobhán Mullally, Director, Centre for Criminal Justice and Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University College Cork

Dr. Sandra Mc Evoy  Coordinator, Women's Studies, University College Cork.

Dr. Chris McInerney, Course Director, BA Public Administration / BA Politics and Public Administration, Department of Politics and Public Administration University of Limerick

Dr. Mary Murphy Department of Sociology NUI Maynooth

Professor Ray Murphy, Professor of Law, Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI Galway.

Dr Katherine O'Donnell, Director-Women's Studies Centre, School of Social Justice, University College Dublin

Orlagh O’Farrell, Consultant and researcher on equality and human rights.

Dr. Martin J. Power, Lecturer in Sociology, Course Director: MA in Sociology, University of Limerick

Dr. Niamh Reilly, Senior Lecturer, School of Political Science and Sociology NUI Galway

Professor Neil Robinson, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Limerick

Ailbhe Smyth, researcher and consultant in gender equality, LGBT issues and human rights.