Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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2003. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to report on the progress of the national thalidomide advocacy office, the number of thalidomide survivors assisted; the number of medical cards approved; and other supports administered. [46922/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Government policy since 1975 has been to provide acknowledged Irish thalidomide survivors with access to a range of health and personal social services and other supports to facilitate independent living.

Acknowledged Irish survivors of thalidomide living in the state are eligible for health and personal social services from the State regardless of means.

This includes access to a medical card on an administrative basis, regardless of means. Medical cards were issued to all acknowledged Irish survivors in the 70's by Dept of Social protection. The National Thalidomide Advocacy office will assist any acknowledged Thalidomide survivor with this process.

Currently there are 23 Acknowledged Irish Thalidomide Survivors living in Ireland and may contact the National Thalidomide Advocacy office (NTAO) for these supports. 19 out of the 23 have engaged with the NTAO for supports, this has risen from 3 in 2021.

The type of supports provided in 2025 vary from Aids and Appliances, Seamstress, Personal Assistant/Home support hours to Housing Adaptation projects. 11 Thalidomide survivors are currently going through that process of housing adaptations this year.

In 2025 The National Thalidomide Advocacy Office (NTAO) has supported four individuals to apply to Contergan in Germany for recognition that their disabilities are as a result of Thalidomide exposure. The NTAO has continued to liaise between Contergan and those individuals to provide additional information to the foundation as required. These applications are now under review by Contergan, the NTAO has not received definitive timelines as to when their assessments will be complete.

For clarity, payments would only be made to those individuals who are deemed by Contergan to be Thalidomide survivors.

Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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2004. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of the applications by thalidomide sufferers to a foundation (details supplied); and when it expects that these applications will be processed and payments made. [46923/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Since March of this year, the National Thalidomide Advocacy Office has supported four individuals to apply to Contergan in Germany for recognition that their disabilities are as a result of Thalidomide exposure.

The office has continued to liaise between Contergan and those individuals to provide additional information to the foundation as required.

These applications are now under review but we do not have any definitive timelines as to when their assessments will be complete.

For clarity, payments would only be made to those individuals who are deemed by Contergan to be Thalidomide survivors.