Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he has had any recent meetings with the Irish Thalidomide Association or the Irish Thalidomide Survivors Society and if he will provide an update of the outcomes of those meetings [16146/13]

Nicky McFadden (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he has met with the Irish Thalidomide Association and the Irish Thalidomide Survivors Society; if he will provide an update on those meetings; the progress being made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16180/13]

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Health the date on which he will meet with the Irish Thalidomide Survivors' Society to discuss the needs of the 32 survivors for an open care package as in other countries; and if he will consider the German model of care and address the individual specific needs of the survivors [16406/13]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Health in respect of the Irish Thalidomide Survivor’s Society, if he will reinstate the previous commitments that were given in 1975 and guarantee this commitment on moral grounds; if he will meet with the group to discuss in depth precisely what his health care package entails; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16449/13]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Health in respect of the Irish Thalidomide Survivor’s Society with regard to car adaptations, the proposals he has to deal with the small amount of people who actually need assistance with regard to car adaptations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16450/13]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will meet with the Irish Thalidomide Survivors' Society as a matter of priority [16494/13]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will convene a meeting with the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government and the Thalidomide Survivors groups as a matter of urgency to prepare a comprehensive plan for the delivery of a care package for the 32 Thalidomide survivors which honours the commitment given to their parents in 1975 [16655/13]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure that funds are ringfenced to meet the needs of the 32 Thalidomide survivors, including access to car and dwelling adapations, personal assistances, and any other measures necessary in a comprehensive care package [16658/13]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken to deliver upon the commitment in the Programme for Government, to ensure that justice is delivered in respect of survivors of thalidomide and thereby enable them to achieve access to the appropriate medical services and appropriate compensation in accordance with all other citizens who suffer personal injury are entitled to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17203/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1138, 1141, 1176, 1182, 1183, 1191, 1214, 1215 and 1295 together.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to reopen discussions with Irish survivors of thalidomide. I met with both representative organisations in July 2011 and have been in correspondence since.

Given the challenges that persist for each individual, this Government's aim is to address the health and personal social care needs of thalidomide survivors living in Ireland. I have stated that I am willing to enter into discussions about a health care package on a non-statutory basis; an ex-gratia payment having regard to current financial circumstances; and a statement to the Dáil recognising the challenges faced by survivors.

The Irish Thalidomide Association announced publicly in 2012 that it had ceased talks with the Government. The Association's legal advisor has initiated personal injuries claims against the manufacturer and distributors of the Thalidomide drug and the State.

The Irish Thalidomide Survivors Society is seeking, amongst other things, an independent agency with ring fenced funding to provide for a statutory package to provide for their needs including health and personal services, housing adaptations, heating, transport and clothing. I am not in a position to meet the demands of the Society. I would also point out that each Irish thalidomide survivor has a medical card and it is open to each individual to apply for the numerous public supports available to people with a disability provided by other Departments such as housing adaptation grants, disabled drivers tax concessions and disability allowance. However, I have asked the Society to consider, in good faith, proceeding with a Health Care Protocol which envisaged appointing and training a multi-disciplinary team, arranging a multi-disciplinary health evaluation, identifying and documenting their health care needs/issues and developing plans to address those needs. The Society are unwilling to proceed on that basis.

There are currently 32 Irish Thalidomide survivors. Each survivor received lump sum payments from a German Foundation and the Irish Government in the early 1970s. In 1975 the lump-sums paid by the Irish Government ranged from €6,400 to €21,000. In addition, each survivor receives on-going monthly payments from both the German Foundation and the Irish Government. Combining the Irish and German payments, most individuals receive over €2,500 per month, or €575 per week tax free.