Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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139. To ask the Minister for Health if he has met with thalidomide survivors; the steps that he will take in relation to the serious issues affecting them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37649/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I am happy to inform the Deputy that I met with members of the Irish Thalidomide Association in February last and assured them of the Government’s commitment to continue to provide them with the necessary health supports to meet their related needs.

In addition to an initial ex-gratia lump-sum and monthly payments for life, the supports provided by the Irish State to each Irish survivor include a medical card on an administrative basis regardless of means, which includes access to a full range of primary care, hospital and personal social services, provision of appliances, artificial limbs, equipment and housing adaptations. There is a designated senior manager in the Health Service Executive who liaises with Irish thalidomide survivors and assists them to access supports towards their ongoing health and personal social service needs.

Work is under way in the Department to provide these health and personal social supports on a statutory footing as committed to by the Government.

It is important to note that the German Contergan Foundation has confirmed that since 2013 it is accepting 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. Any Irish person who establishes that their injury is attributable to thalidomide will be offered appropriate supports by the Irish Government, commensurate with those currently provided to Irish thalidomide survivors.