SURVIVORS OF THE Thalidomide drug crisis in Ireland have called on the State to issue an apology to them, following Australia’s national apology today.

Thalidomide was a drug prescribed in the 1950s and early 1960s to help pregnant women cope with morning sickness, but it was later discovered that it also caused severe birth defects in children. It was withdrawn worldwide in 1961.

In Ireland, there are around 40 survivors of the drug, and the Irish Thalidomide Association says 62 years is too long to wait for full redress.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a speech to parliament today that “at long last, Australia will say sorry”.

“This apology takes in one of the darkest chapters in Australia’s medical history.”

Finola Cassidy, ITA spokesperson and survivor, said: “We dare to dream Ireland will follow suit and allow us long overdue closure to a tragedy not of our making and allow the tiny cohort of previously unacknowledged survivors here to be brought in from the cold.”

The British government made a similar apology in 2010.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik noted in the Dáil today that irish survivors have “endured years of neglect and denial”.

“The Australian apology underscores the moral imperative for us to take action now to provide the necessary care, support and recognition for survivors, and not just for survivors, but also for their parents, some of whom are still alive.”

Justice Minister Helen McEntee said that while there is “significant engagement” by the government on the issue, she did not have an update. She promised to raise it with Health Minister Stephen Donnelly in future.

“I know that the Minister is absolutely committed to supporting in whatever way he can,” she said.

Irish Thalidomide survivors marked the 62nd Global Withdrawal of Thalidomide at the weekend by again highlighting the failure of the Irish State to withdraw the drug in Ireland.

In 2012, survivors took legal action against the State over the damage caused.

A court case taken by 16 survivors against the State and the manufacturer. Most had received a settlement in 1975, but it was argued that it wasn’t enough to continuously fund their continued care needs.

It was revealed in 2013 that the government deliberately didn’t issue a public warning about the dangers of Thalidomide because it believed such a move would be ‘undesirable’.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said earlier this year that the survivors and their parents “deserve” an apology, but stopped short of offering one on behalf of the State. 

With reporting by AFP

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