Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)

We did hear last week that the Health (Amendment) Act card was originally designed for hepatitis survivors and that, in the instance of survivors of institutional abuse, they might not have the same medical needs. We have heard reports and I went back and had a discussion with people and that is simply is not the case. Many survivors have both physical and long-term mental health conditions as a direct consequence of their time in these institutions. We are systemically failing them if we fail to provide this. A lot of them are already older, much older, so they might have a medical card. Having the HAA one will make all the difference, and that is why it is so critical. I lend my support to what Senator Higgins said. This is about survivors getting their needs met, their health needs that only exist as a consequence of the abuse they received in these institutions in the first place.