Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise the important issue of valproate, which I have raised in the Chamber many times. Pregnant women were prescribed Epilim when people knew what its impacts were. The Minister promised us a report on this matter last March and we have still not received it from the relevant group. Will the Leader ask the Minister where that report is? Will he also ask him why the historical information on licensing that we seek and require has not made available either through the freedom of information process or any other source? Could that information be made available? A child in this country should not be treated any differently from a child in France. Compensation has been provided to children in France who were impacted by this drug in the same way as it impacted on Irish children. Nothing will ever make up for the disabilities these children are suffering.

An inquiry into this matter is coming to an end in Britain. We need an independent investigation into this issue. We have had enough cover-ups in this country. This is far too serous an issue. Families have been left with children with disabilities as a result of being prescribed a drug, the impacts of which I am certain were known to many people in this country. I want to know who knew what and when.