Ms Carmel McDonnell Byrne:

It is a considerable sum for some of our survivors. I know that they are neglecting themselves because they have no other option. The health (amendment) Act card would alleviate those kinds of issues. Our people have been marginalised enough and have suffered enough and there are huge health issues among our people. To be quite honest, I do not know of any survivors who are in good health. I am 68 and I have many medical conditions, but I mind myself. People are constantly asking me for help and telling me that if they had this it could make such a difference to their lives. It would allow them to get on with business, travelling, going to classes and doing whatever else they need to do. It would also enable them to attend their GP and be looked after properly. They do not tell the GP why they cannot pay because it is private. When they had to attend GPs during the Caranua applications process because they needed recommendations and referrals, they felt it was hugely traumatic because it was an invasion of their privacy. They had never disclosed to doctors or GPs that they had come from an institution. Even in 2023, we have survivors in our centre who still have not told their spouse or have not told their children. That is how ashamed they feel. It is time we shifted away from that to try to make their quality of life better.

I have figures here from the applicants. There were 6,182 applicants to Caranua. Of that number, 385 people died up to the end of March 2020. That is a large cohort of our people. That is only the people we know of. I do not know what the numbers were like in England, but I am sure they were similar. We do not have longevity on our side. The biggest worry many have, and one which I share, is that they will be institutionalised again and will not be allowed to stay at home. The health (amendment) Act card could help with having systems in place that would enable us to live out our lives. Some people who have had their redress are terrified to touch it because of that fear. They want to keep that little bit of money. We know what institutional life was like. We do not know whether it will be the same but we have that fear. All the counselling that we had done would go out the window just thinking about it.