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The Justice Minister has apologized to a former garda who faced dismissal in the 1980s after having a child while unmarried.<\/p>\nThe Justice Minister has apologized to a former garda who faced dismissal in the 1980s after having a child while unmarried.<\/p>\n
Charlie Flanagan said what happened to Majella Moynihan was \u201cclearly wrong\u201d on every level.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cAs a young garda, Ms Moynihan faced an appalling ordeal at a time in Ireland that was sadly too often characterized by stigma and intolerance.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Saturday Ms Moynihan spoke publicly for the first time about her ordeal in an RTE Radio One documentary.<\/p>\n
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris also offered an apology.<\/p>\n
Mr Flanagan said: \u201cI have spoken to Commissioner Harris and I welcome his apology to Ms Majella Moynihan on behalf of An Garda Siochana.<\/p>\n
\u201cI echo that apology in my capacity as Minister for Justice and Equality.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Moynihan was charged with breaching Garda rules after having premarital sex with another officer and having a child when she was 22.<\/p>\n
An aggressive line of questioning by senior officers at the time probed into her sexual history and use of contraceptives.<\/p>\n
Ms Moynihan kept her job following the intervention of the archbishop of Dublin, who believed sacking her would cause more gardai to travel to England for abortions in similar circumstances.<\/p>\n