Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

I presume the Minister of State knows that this offer has been unanimously rejected by the Irish Thalidomide Association. What is his response to that rejection? I went to the association's press conference last week and the offer was rejected because its members felt that there was no real consultation. They were brought in at the very end of the process with the State Claims Agency. Will the Government consider going back to the drawing board and genuinely negotiating a settlement proposal with the two bodies concerned? The Irish Thalidomide Association represents the vast majority of survivors.

Will the State apologise to the survivors? I realise the State did not produce the drug, but there is a strong feeling among survivors that the State could have protected them better and they would like an apology.

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