Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)

Other Deputies have already raised the case of the elderly, vulnerable people on hunger strike.

I think they have been 22 days on hunger strike outside Leinster House. They are survivors of industrial and reformatory schools who are putting their health on the line to try to access justice for themselves and their fellow survivors. They were failed once by the State when they were committed to these heinous institutions and they are being failed again now. Their ask is very simple and very modest, to access a full Health (Amendment) Act, HAA, medical card and a full State contributory pension, based on what has been awarded to survivors of similar institutions but which these survivors have been excluded from. It is not enough that the State acknowledges it has failed survivors historically. If it excludes survivors from redress for these past wrongdoings, it is showing it has not learned lessons. It is obviously getting to a very grave situation when we are at 22 days for elderly people. I am asking if there can be an intervention here.

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