Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 February 2022
151. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that full medical cards are provided to persons that have suffered from thalidomide irrespective of their means; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6918/22]
View answerThe Deputy may be aware that following an Irish Government decision in January 1975, the Government granted an ex-gratia sum equivalent to 4 times the German lump-sum and an ex-gratia monthly allowance for life equal to the German monthly allowance, to each of the Irish children found to have thalidomide related injuries. There are currently 29 Irish people in receipt of ex-gratia monthly payments from the Department of Health.
In addition to the initial 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 underway in the Department to bring forward Heads of a Bill to provide these health and personal social supports on a statutory basis to Irish thalidomide survivors.
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.
