Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The survivors of industrial schools and reformatory schools suffered enormous trauma. In fact, I was the Minister back in 1999 who chaired an interdepartmental committee as Minister for education. That was the first time an inquiry was established, as a result of my engagement with survivors, including the late Christine Buckley, Bernadette Fahy and others who participated in the "Dear Daughter" documentary. The State responded on that occasion but not everyone is satisfied with the evolving nature of the response. There was a big redress scheme and the National Counselling Service was established. Those were important developments in their time. In fairness to Mary, Maurice, Mary Donovan and Miriam Moriarty Owens, their focus has been on services. In earlier phases, depending on the interactions in different areas, housing initiatives, for example, were taken.

There will be a timeline. In some instances, we have responded. In the meeting I had with them afterwards, they were thankful for some things that were done that needed to be done. More broadly, in terms of the advocacy, I spoke to the Secretary General early this morning in respect of this because I had to intervene on it. I do not believe there should have been a hunger strike, if I am being honest. I do not think anyone should have to go on hunger strike. I pleaded with the four people to come off it when we had set up a mediation process. Unfortunately, the first mediator took ill. Having intervened, I am determined I will see this through with all the Departments that have to provide services. A liaison person has now been established. That was in late November and into December. We have worked out what the Department of education will be providing on their side of it in terms of supports, as well as the Department of Health on the medical card. We have been in touch with the Minister in the Department of Health to get this done as quickly as possible. We will have a timeline for them.

We have already intervened with the local authorities. The Minister has already written, in the week after the agreement, to all local authorities asking them to prioritise survivors of institutions in terms of council housing, where that emerges. The Minister for Social Protection has written and sent an instruction to all community welfare officers, and these were the asks, that funeral costs, for example, some of which were provided by Caranua, will be provided when necessary to survivors. That went out immediately afterwards from the Minister for Social Protection that week as well. In advance of the agreement, people in my office had contacted and worked with every single Minister, and at an official level, to say this is the agreement, this is what we are signing up to and it has to be delivered.