Apologising to thalidomide sufferers and their families, Taoiseach Simon Harris made the announcement with the government about an improved package of social and health care resources, reports Breaking News.
Pregnant women were taken thalidomide in the 1950s to treat the symptoms of morning sickness; however, the medication was subsequently discontinued due to associations with birth abnormalities, permanent impairments, and harm to the foetus.
Survivors now have access to improved health, social care, and independent living assistance thanks to the new package, which was co-designed with them, reports Breaking News.
This includes free transit permits, yearly health examinations, access to clinical and holistic treatments, access to independent living assistance including home supports, automobile modifications, and housing adaptations, as well as streamlined and prioritised access to local health and social care specialists.
In a statement, Mr Harris said: “We want to take this opportunity to express our sympathy to survivors and their families – we are sorry for all they have endured, for the hardships they have suffered and for the impact thalidomide has had on their lives. We want to strongly reiterate, once again, their mothers did nothing wrong, and we have never thought otherwise. It is regretful that the regulatory standards we have today were not the norm, here or internationally, when thalidomide was first brought to market,” reports Breaking News.
Mr Harris added: “Significant progress was made. Regrettably, talks did not progress in this format and wider matters raised by survivors were not covered. The options of resuming a non-legal facilitation process on these issues, or a legal mediation via the State Claims Agency, remain available,” reports Breaking News.
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