Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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195. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will seek to urgently end the Industrial and Reformatory School Survivors hunger strike by immediately awarding a Health (Amendment) Act (HAA) card, to all survivors, as they deserve access to comprehensive healthcare to deal with the lasting effects of these institutions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54102/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that Government is very conscious of the enormous trauma which has been experienced by all survivors of abuse.

I wrote to the group on Friday 26 September to urge them to reconsider their hunger strike action in the interest of their health and well-being and to request a meeting so that I could engage with them directly in relation to their concerns. I met with the group on Monday 29 September and, while acknowledging that the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Act 2025 does not go as far as they would wish in terms of providing supports for survivors, that I am not in a position to revisit the Act.

In addition, the Taoiseach engaged personally with the group on Friday 3 October and I have also written to them on a number of occasions to set out the position and to respectfully request that they reconsider their action.

As the Deputy will be aware, in June 2023, the Government approved the provision of a package of supports to survivors of abuse in residential institutions, such as industrial schools and reformatories, comprised of ongoing health, education and advocacy supports.

The package of health supports and services which is now provided for in the Act will ensure survivors who are resident in the State will have access to a range of health supports through the HSE, including GP services, home nursing and home helps, chiropody and podiatry, and physiotherapy. This approach is consistent with the approach taken previously in respect of survivors and former residents of the Magdalen Laundries and Mother and Baby Institutions.

This entitlement will be for life and will not be subject to means-tests or periodic reviews.

Survivors living abroad will be able to avail of a payment of €3,000 in lieu of this package of supports, to support their health needs. This is the same approach taken in respect of the Mother and Baby Institutions.

With regard to the HAA card provided for under the Health (Amendment) Act 1996, it is important to note that this was introduced specifically to meet the very significant health needs of a particular group of individuals who had contracted a serious and life-threatening condition, i.e. individuals who had contracted Hepatitis C through the administration within the State of contaminated blood and blood products.

I have informed the group that officials from my Department are available to engage with them in relation to relevant matters and I very much hope that they will safeguard their physical and mental health.