Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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738. To ask the Minister for Health when his Department and the State will publicly acknowledge the wrongdoing that occurred to pregnant women who were prescribed thalidomide in the 1950s and 1960s as a treatment for morning sickness; when women and their children impacted by the use of thalidomide can expect a public apology for the wrongdoing that occurred; when the State will deliver an appropriately specialised thalidomide-related healthcare and compensation package for thalidomide suffers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50156/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The question raised by the Deputy includes reference to matters related to litigation that has been delegated to the State Claims Agency. The Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible for me to comment on matters that are sub-judice.

However, 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 provide them with the necessary health supports to meet their related needs.

Following that meeting, the 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, commenced a process to develop recommendations for future planning and pathways of care for survivor’s health care needs now and into the future. The recommendations will also inform the work already underway in the Department to provide these health and personal social supports on a statutory footing as committed to by the Government.

Following a Government decision in 1975, Irish survivors of thalidomide have been in receipt of monthly payments for life from the Irish State. The range of supports provided by the Irish State to each Irish survivor also 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.

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.