Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

With regard to directives, implementation is the important thing. Who will monitor this? This is the problem. Young children in the State are suffering due to exposure to medicine that contains valproate. Children as young as six years of age have had to endure more hospital appointments and hospital surgeries than most adults do in a lifetime, as the Minister admits also. Will the Minister commit to looking at a specific support and service system for affected children and their parents? When asked about this previously the Minister pointed to the national disability strategy. This is a very complex and difficult issue, which requires a targeted and specific support service system. I do not believe it is fair or proper simply to cite a commitment in the programme for Government and consider this problem solved. These children and their families need recognition and support from the State.

With regard to compensation for these families, the Minister has previously responded to a written parliamentary question that he was were aware of a State-funded compensation scheme in France that was considering claims from individuals affected by valproate. Will the State set up a compensation scheme or system, and if so what timescale are we looking at?

See this speech in context