Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht bheith anseo déanach ar an Déardaoin chun déileáil leis an gceist seo. This is an issue I have raised on a number of occasions, that is, the attitude of the State towards the treatment of survivors of thalidomide. The Minister of State will be aware that thalidomide was a drug that was used in the early 1960s by women in relation to morning sickness but what is important is that it has a hugely adverse effect on their subsequent children.

We have fewer than 40 survivors of thalidomide in Ireland today. These are people who have lived throughout their lives with debilitating issues as a result of the fact that they survived thalidomide while their mothers were pregnant. I am conscious that this is a sensitive issue. I am also conscious that this is a sensitive time and I have been encouraged to withdraw this matter this evening for that reason. Let me say very clearly why I have not withdrawn it. First, there is a process under way, which is being led by the retired High Court judge, Mr. Justice Gilligan, a man for whom I have enormous respect, and I do not want in any way to interfere with that process. It is important that continues and that it is completed in whatever way he sees fit and to the conclusion that is appropriate. The openness and transparency that must come with that should never be interfered with. That is not really why I am raising this issue. I am raising this issue because this is an important anniversary.

This week marks the passage of one year since the leaders of the three parties in the previous Government wrote to the survivors of thalidomide and set out what I respectfully suggest was not, in fact, an apology or an acknowledgement, but really a communication in respect of some supports that have been put in place for them. It is also a number of weeks since Jacqui Browne, a fearless campaigner and an individual of great stock herself, passed away aged 64. She was a thalidomide survivor. As we move through this, I understand those who say that now is not the time to discuss it and that there is a process under way; I understand that. The difficulty I have is, if not now, when? This has been going on now for more than 60 years. The survivors themselves are in their mid to late 60s and more importantly, their mothers, most of whom have passed away, are obviously much older than that or are at an advanced age. In fact, I think there are probably only five of them still living, and some of them have passed away in the last year as well. Those women who took the drug thalidomide without any foresight or knowledge as to the effect it might have on the foetus of the infant they were carrying bore throughout their lives huge guilt with regard to what happened to their children in utero. It is desperately unfair on those women who took the drug, again, through no fault of their own and who bore that burden throughout their lives. Most of them have died. The glacial pace with which the State is actually addressing this problem is shameful. The process is under way, let it take its course, but the treatment of thalidomide survivors by allowing the matter to go on for as long as it has is a very poor reflection on the State and the liability the State has. I have been very clear on this; there was a failure by the State in the 1960s for a period of over six months to clearly indicate that this drug should be withdrawn from the market. The information was there; the action was not taken. I am not here to go into the liability issue of it. There is a case in being, although that in and of itself has been dragged on to the detriment of those people who are involved in the case. Really, what I want to raise this evening is how unacceptable it is that, unfortunately, once again, this State finds itself in a position where vulnerable people who have been disadvantaged and injured by the failure to act by this State are once again being treated really badly and appallingly. The time has come to take action and acknowledge that.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Ward for raising this important issue. I also wish to extend the apologies of the Minister for State with responsibility for disability, Deputy Naughton, for being unable to attend today. She is currently on a delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina on behalf of the Government to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.

The Minister of State has also asked that her sincere sympathies and condolences are extended to the Browne family following the passing of their beloved Jacqui. Jacqui was a very valued chair of the disabled persons' organisations network, and she played a key role in contributing to many disability policies and initiatives, including the forthcoming national disability strategy.

The Government is committed to supporting people affected by thalidomide with health and personal social services. In July last year, the Government announced an enhanced package supports, which was co-designed with survivors. Enhanced healthcare, social care and independent living supports are currently available. Also, in April 2024, the national thalidomide advocacy office was established. This office was set up to liaise with thalidomide survivors and assist them to access supports towards their ongoing health and personal social service needs. The support provided is on a one-to-one basis, tailored to the specific needs of the person and in response to contact received from survivors. It includes identifying and liaising with the relevant HSE personnel and other agencies to ensure the required services are provided. Each survivor is also eligible for a medical card on an administrative basis, regardless of means, in addition to aids and appliances, equipment, housing adaptations and access to a full range of primary care, hospital and personal social services.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State. I acknowledge the reason for the absence of the Minister for State, Deputy Naughton. I applaud her for acknowledging the massacre in Srebrenica.

I also understand what the Minister of State, Deputy Collins, said; I know he is reading a response on her behalf. The statement that the Government is committed to helping the survivors of thalidomide is all very well but the point I am making is it is taking too long. The process is there and the process is fine but what we have not had is a proper acknowledgement. We have not had a proper apology. We do not have cover. Talking about enhanced services for them is all very well but that is the very minimum we can do. These are people who were injured through the inaction of this State and that has never been acknowledged despite the letter that was written by my party leader, the Minister of State's party leader and the leader of the Green Party a year ago. That is not actually an acknowledgement of the fault of the State. It is not an apology. It is an apology for what they are going through, which states that the Government regrets the position they are in. I understand the restrictions that are there. I have been critical before of the manner in which the State has met the legal case against them.

That is one thing but there is a basic justice to this that has never been met. There is no apology, acknowledgment, full suite of treatment and no compensation. Those are all absent. If we are talking about the issue at the heart of this, which is the treatment of those people who through no fault of their own and through no fault of their parents find themselves massively disadvantaged, injured, disabled as a result of that drug and the inaction of this State, the very least we can do is those four things I pointed out: apologise; acknowledge; cover their medical needs; and compensate them for the injury caused to them. We would do it in any other situation but for some reason the State has dragged its heels. The fundamental crux of this is the treatment of those survivors of thalidomide is fundamentally wrong and shameful and is a stain on the recent history of this State that we cannot get over that and acknowledge the justice of the issue that has to be dealt with.

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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As previously referenced, in July 2024 an enhanced package for health and social care supports for thalidomide survivors was announced. That included prioritised and simplified access to local health and social care professionals, access to therapies, both clinical and holistic, independent living supports to include housing adaptations, car adaptations and home supports, annual health assessments and a free travel pass. As the Deputy will be aware, there is a thalidomide resolution process under way facilitated by Judge Paul Gilligan. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on that process at this time.

Separately, the German Grünenthal Foundation has confirmed that since 2013 it has accepted applications from individuals for compensation for thalidomide-related injury. It is open to any Irish person to apply to the foundation for assessment of their disability as being attributable to thalidomide. Additionally any Irish person who establishes that their injury is attributable to thalidomide will continue to be offered appropriate supports by the Government commensurate with those currently provided to Irish thalidomide survivors. Support for this assessment process is available for anybody who wishes to be assessed.

The Deputy also raised a proper acknowledgement and apology and the process taking too long and the lack of compensation. I will convey the sentiments he raised here with both the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste.