Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

The Tánaiste responded but I am happy to respond as well.

I assure the Deputy that this is being dealt with at the highest level. I have met with Maurice Patton-O’Connell, Miriam Moriarty Owens, Mary Donovan and Mary Dunleavy Greene twice now in the last number of weeks. The Taoiseach has met with them twice. A mediator met with them earlier this week. In between all of that, I have written to them a number of times and at every step of the way encouraged them to please come off their hunger strike. My first and foremost priority is their health and well-being. It is not a nice time of the year. At the same time, I appreciate what they have gone through. I have listened to many of their stories and understand the position they are in. I am asking that they would come off hunger strike. We will continue to engage with them in good faith. The work the mediator is doing now is based on engagement they had yesterday and we want to be able to come back to them as quickly as possible. However, there is an absolute desire on part of Government to try to resolve this as quickly as possible but above all that their health and well-being would be front and centre in all of this.

See this speech in context