Councillor says plans to turn Dublin Magdalene laundry into memorial 'disgusting'

A Dublin city councillor has described plans for a national memorial at a former Magdalene laundry as disgusting, saying it should be demolished.

Mannix Flynn stormed out of Dublin city's council meeting on Monday night following an angry outburst in the chamber.

The former industrial school resident and abuse survivor said it was shameful his fellow councillors supported the transfer of the Sean McDermott Street laundry to the Office of Public Works for a memorial.

The two-acre site in the northeast inner-city, known as the Convent Lands, was formerly owned by the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity.

It was transferred to the State in the late 90s, and since has met stiff opposition for the development of housing and a hotel.

Earlier this year, the Government announced plans to build a “site of national conscience" to commemorate those who were resident in the home.

Cllr Flynn said: “I am totally in favour of demolishing the whole site in its entirety. I mean would you keep Fred West’s house, would you keep Rosemary West’s house? No you wouldn’t.

“So why would you want to keep a disgusting piece of muck where wholesale horror took place in Sean McDermott Street.”

The memorial will include a museum and exhibition, led by the National Museum of Ireland, and also include social housing and an educational facility.