Call for justice for the Bethany Home Survivors to be served
Published: Thursday, May 09, 2013
Plus, Breaking News: RTE PRIME TIME programme on Bethany Home Monday 13 May 2013
Alliance from across Irish Society calls for Justice for Bethany Home Survivors
An alliance of 49 NGOs, trade Unions and academics have called on the Taoiseach to address the unfair position that Bethany Home 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). This exclusion leaves them in a state of vulnerability, uncertainty and in many cases poverty
The Alliance has called 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. They call on him to provide them with a process of non-adversarial redress and to provide assistance to the Bethany Survivors in their attempts to access their records.
The Bethany Home (1922 – 1972) was a religious residential institution in Dublin for women of the Protestant community. It detained women on remand, or who were convicted of crimes from petty theft to infanticide. It was also a religious refuge for prostitutes and a place for unmarried women and their children. Very high infant mortality rates in the home are documented. Surviving former child residents are seeking redress and justice. They report abuse and neglect both in the home and in homes and institutions to which they were sent.
In a letter sent to the Taoiseach on May 1st the Alliance, convened by the National Women's Council of Ireland, he alliance called on the Taoiseach ' 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'.
To-day Niall Meehan of the Bethany Survivors Group added that; 'We approach the centenary of the 1916 Easter Proclamation that promised to 'cherish all of the children of the nation equally'. The Bethany survivors suffered abuse equally. They could do with some cherishing before 2016'.
'The time has come for the Government to take a stand in full support of the survivors of the Bethany Home and in recognition of the role the state played in failing to protect them as children' said Orla O'Connor Director of the National Women's Council of Ireland. There is clearly broad public recognition and support for the cause of the survivors and Government needs to take action as a matter of urgency', she added.
Signatories to the letter to the Taoiseach were;
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
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, Lecturer in employment and equality law, NUl Maynooth
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.
For further information contact Niall Meehan Bethany Survivors Group Ph: 087 6428671