The Irish premier will finally issue a state apology to up to 10,000 women who were incarcerated in Catholic-run laundries where they were treated as virtual slaves.
Enda Kenny's statement comes after the Fine Gael-Labour government in Dublin faced withering criticism from support groups for survivors of the Magdalene laundries, angered over his initial unwillingness to apologise to them a fortnight ago.
This followed the release of a report that detailed the suffering the women endured in the nun-run institutions from the 1920s. The report compiled by Senator Martin McAleese found there was state involvement in sending the women to the laundries.
Amnesty International has accused the Irish government of ignoring women who were exploited in laundries that operated across the border in Northern Ireland.
Patrick Corrigan, the human rights charity's Northern Ireland director, said: "Magdalene laundries operated in Northern Ireland into the 1980s. I have spoken with women survivors of these institutions who now fear being left behind, with no inquiry in place – north or south – into their suffering.
"It is clear that any new inquiry announced by the Irish government will only investigate abuses in the Republic of Ireland, while the historic institutional abuse inquiry in Northern Ireland will only investigate abuse suffered by children, rather than by the many grown women who were held in Magdalene laundries.
"That is why I have written to the first and deputy first minister to draw attention to this justice gap and to ask them to consider how best to address the plight of this group of victims. The first minister and deputy first minister responded with compassion and action when they heard the cry for justice of child abuse victims in Northern Ireland institutions. We hope they will respond similarly to the calls from women who suffered as adults."
Kenny's apology is expected to coincide with the announcement of compensation for about 800 women who were held in the mostly industrial institutions across Ireland.
The payout deal will include counselling services, healthcare and individual payments the Irish government hopes can be implemented without the involvement of lawyers and hefty legal bills.
