Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)

Miriam Moriarty Owens, Mary Donovan, Mary Dunleavy Greene and Maurice Patton O'Connell endured 50 days on hunger strike to demand action from the Government for the survivors of industrial and reformatory schools. They ended their protest after securing from the Taoiseach specific commitments, including a Government apology and a number of measures to improve the lives and well-being of survivors. However, they have been in contact to raise serious concerns that the appointed mediator will not meet them again until January. They fear that without clear timelines, the commitment outlined in the Taoiseach's letter to them will stall and fall into delay.

The risk now is that the protesters feel compelled to resume their hunger strike, potentially in the run-up to Christmas. We all know these folk have endured enough suffering. I ask the Taoiseach to give firm assurances that the commitments he made will be progressed without delay and to intervene to make sure the mediator meets with the survivors before Christmas.

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