MGM Lion and other British writers seem to think this problem with orphanages all began after Ireland got its partial independence , which is understandable when the Irish national broadcaster , RTE, gives that impression : as if the Catholic Church in Ireland was established post-independence when the Irish were still not quite fit to govern themselves . But the Catholic Church was indeed established in pudding time during the goodly King George's Glorious Days, MGM . The Irish Free State government didn't exist during good Queen Victoria's reign, but the laundries and the abuse of children in Catholic (and Protestant)orphanages certainly did exist.