Taoiseach Enda Kenny has apologised 'unreservedly' yesterday to women who were incarcerated in the Magdalene laundries.

The Government is to set up a a fund to help compensate the women.

Mr Kenny said: "I, as Taoiseach, on behalf of the State, the Government and our citizens, deeply regret and apologise unreservedly to all those women for the hurt that was done to them, and for any stigma they suffered, as a result of the time they spent in a Magdalene laundry."

The Taoiseach said it was a a national shame, for which he was deeply sorry and he offered his 'full and heartfelt apologies.'

The President of the Law Reform Commission, Mr Justice John Quirke, is to recommend criteria to be applied when assessing what help the Government can provide in terms of payments and supports such as medical cards and counselling services.

The judge is to report on this within three months, following which a fund will be established to assist the victims based on his recommendations.

The Taoiseach had previously been criticised for not issuing a full apology to the Magdalene women following the recent publication of the McAleese report into the scandal.

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