A UK-based Irish consultant and specialist on disability and abuse has called for action on institutions for the intellectually disabled in Ireland "before we have another shame to add to the Magdalenes and industrial schools". Patsy McGarry, Religious Affairs Correspondent, reports.
Ms Margaret Kennedy, who conducted client protection programmes over three years in Brothers of Charity-run institutions in Galway, said: "We in Ireland allowed, yes, allowed Magdalene Laundries and industrial schools. We hid away the so-called 'troublesome' members of society. They had done little to merit their incarceration and subsequent brutal treatment. Now we have the institutions housing learning disabled people and mentally ill people. Still in existence, still abusive, still in secret."
She had consulted many people working in the field in Ireland and was told "the situation is equally bad throughout this island. They told me they continue to make representation to various Government Departments only for their pleas to go in one Government ear and out the other".
Referring to an evaluation report on the Kilcornan centre for learning disabled at Clarinbridge, Co Galway, which called for the centre to be closed due to adverse conditions and services, she said anyone reading it "cannot fail to see that the service is sub-standard, infringes human rights and is profoundly abusive".
Details of the report's findings were published in The Irish Times on December 16th. She said the findings cannot be dismissed by the unions or Mr Patrick McGinley, the Brothers' director of services for Galway.