Ann Graves (Dublin Fingal East, Sinn Fein)

This is day 46 for the hunger strikers for justice outside Leinster House. Mary Donovan, Miriam Moriarty Owens, Mary Dunleavy Green and Maurice Patton O'Connell represent the 4,000 survivors of residential institutional abuse. Their situation is critical. These survivors have been driven to this extreme action after decades of fighting for justice. They were deeply traumatised by the institutional abuse they suffered and now they are being retraumatised by the lack of action by the Government. Their demands are simple and include a State contributory pension and a medical card to help address the lifelong consequences of the abuse they suffered in industrial and reformatory schools.

The time for agreed, written commitments is now. Can the Minister confirm that the Taoiseach and the Minister will meet and engage with them today and deliver long overdue justice for these survivors?

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