[Bethany Home, Orwell Road in in Rathgar, Dublin  (above), in 1934, was a Protestant-run ‘mother and child’ home and as such was excluded from the redress scheme for victims of institutionalised abuse. It closed in 1972.}

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.

Niall Meehan, Secretary, Bethany Survivors Group; Orla O’Connor, Director, National Women’s Council of Ireland

On behalf of;

 Breffni Belles Cavan Women’s Network; Children’s Rights Alliance;Community Workers Co-operati; 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, 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, LGBTissues and human rights.

Previously: Prime Time Bethany Homes Special

Justice For The Survivors of Bethany Homes