Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. Recently I had the privilege of meeting members of the Irish Thalidomide Association who appeared before the Joint Committee on Health and Children. Most of us can remember firsthand the tragedy that struck those innocent victims within the womb when their mothers, unwittingly, took as a relief from morning sickness, in the early 1960s, a drug that was wholly untested and yet licensed for sale by the Irish State. Many babies did not survive the pregnancy. Many more died in infancy, leaving a legacy that spreads much further beyond the tiny number of survivors - just 32 acknowledged by the State. This group are survivors in the true sense of the word. It is extraordinary that so many of them have managed to lead ordinary lives. All this heroic effort has come at a terrible cost.

The overuse and misuse of disabled bodies trying to live normal lives has come at a terrible price with many experiencing chronic pain, deteriorating health and mobility issues. Heroism is on the list in dealing with childhood by thalidomide survivors. As Maggie Woods, the chairperson of the Irish Thalidomide Association, said "thalidomide stole my body but the State stole my childhood". Many of the survivors were not able to be cared for in normal homes or schools and were sent away to institutions and industrial schools to add more punishment to these innocent children.

After two years of campaigning and nearly 50 years of distress there has been no progress with the review of the 1975 thalidomide arrangement which the Irish Thalidomide Association has called for. After the recent meeting with the Joint Committee on Health and Children we resolved to contact the Minister to ask the grounds for not allowing a meeting between the State Claims Agency and the survivors. The demands of this tiny group are very modest. First, it demands an acknowledgement of the wrong. It was wrong that this drug should be licensed by the State. Second, it demands the issuing of an apology to the survivors and their families and those who did not survive. Third, it asks for the disclosure of documents. The Department of Health and Children has refused to grant voluntary disclosure from all Departments pertaining to this tragedy for 50 years. Why? Fourth, it seeks a health care package that properly addresses their unique needs so they can maintain the level of deteriorating health being experienced and continue, where possible, to lead independent lives.

It was not expected that these thalidomide victims would survive into adulthood. They have put extraordinary pressure on themselves. Many are limbless or with tiny hands and feet. They have survived but they have exerted themselves to the limit. To see them and listen to them is a very moving experience. It is good that they have survived. They have done their best to live normal lives. Two of them have children. Another has studied medicine and has become a doctor. They have put so much pressure on their bodies that now in their early fifties they are experiencing the illnesses suffered by people in their seventies and eighties, such as arthritis.

What we are seeking is a compensation package similar to that provided by the British Government in Northern Ireland during the past two months. Last month a €1.1 million compensation package for Northern Ireland's 18 survivors was provided by the North's health Minister, Mr. Michael McGimpsey. This highlights the lack of progress on this issue by the Department of Health and Children, despite two years of talks between the Department and the Irish Thalidomide Association.