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

I am also extremely frustrated with what has transpired. We started a mediation process and it should never have broken down. We were looking at, first, dealing with the health dimension so that there would be absolute provision of healthcare benefits for victims of the thalidomide scandal, whole-of-life care in respect of housing adaptation and so forth, and a third aspect that was to be discussed through mediation. The Government entered that in good faith. I share the Deputy's view. I would like to see negotiations restart early in January to get this issue dealt with comprehensively once and for all.

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