Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas don Taoiseach as ucht a chuid freagraí. The Taoiseach recently visited the site of the former mother and baby home in Tuam where hundreds of babies are buried. As the Taoiseach knows, the survivors of the home and the families of those who resided or died there have expressed disappointment that he did not meet with them during his visit. I wrote to him in August asking that he meet with Catherine Corless and the Tuam mother and baby home survivors and I ask that of him again. We owe a lot to Ms Corless for her research which uncovered the deaths of 796 children at the home. When the Taoiseach meets with Ms Corless and the survivors, he will hear first hand of their particular healthcare needs. One child died every fortnight when the home was in operation. Many of those who survived a regime of malnutrition and neglect where measles, tuberculosis and pneumonia were rife now suffer very significant ill health and yet the Government has yet to provide a scheme specific to their needs. Three years have passed since the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes was established and its timeline for reporting has been extended to February 2019. We know from the industrial homes and the Magdalen laundry scandals that the State moves at a glacial pace in providing redress and access to supports and services when it finally accepts wrongdoing. Survivors of the home need access to health services today. Many of them are elderly and many of them are very unwell. I ask that the State has healthcare provision in place for these survivors and I ask that the Taoiseach acts on that with all due haste.

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