The Catholic Church made a lucrative business of sending Irish orphans to foreign countries in the mid-20th century. These children who were sent off did better than those who remained in the Church's custody, many of whom were sent to the Magdalene Laundries which treated them poorly.
At least 9,000 children died in Catholic church facilities due to neglect in the 20th century in Ireland, including the mother and baby homes which were the deadliest church-run institutions during that period.