Ms Mary Lou O'Kennedy:

With regard to the enhanced medical card, the overwhelming issue is access and whether people would get access to healthcare. Medical card eligibility does not always mean access because there are waiting lists and all sorts of limitations at times. There were all sorts of suggestions around private healthcare being provided. The main card referenced by people was the Health (Amendment) Act medical card. This is the one they felt would be the most comprehensive. It would include many of the provisions already listed among those that have been put in place but with the addition of alternative therapies. Many of the women in particular are interested in alternative therapies, such as body work, and some of the other supports that would be available to them through that card but not through the one being recommended.

Extra practical supports were mentioned for fuel allowances and phone allowances. Things such as free genetic testing and health screening came up as a key issue because people do not know their family medical histories. There was also mention of services for genetic illnesses linked to ethnicity and addiction services. There is a range of needs. As comprehensive as possible health cover is what was asked for.

The need for trauma-informed counselling for the survivors and their family members cannot be overstated. It is not my field and I do not know how it would be put to the survivors in a way that would build trust in using the service and seeing it as something helpful to them. It would need to be designed specifically to their needs and not a generic counselling service. This is very much the feedback to us. The intergenerational aspect that has already been mentioned would also have to be considered under this.

Trauma-trained staff who would work with survivors in the administration and application process is something that was very much emphasised. It could probably go hand-in-hand with the advocate case worker support being put in place. They would feel that people providing support to them would understand their needs and could work with them with sensitivity. The word "kindness" has come up again and again in the consultation process. Kindness comes from understanding their needs and experience and being able to relate to it.