The Irish Thalidomide Association (ITA) is to meet the Taoiseach and Tánaiste on Thursday to advance discussions around a resolution for those affected by the drug.
Thalidomide was developed in Germany in the 1950s as a sedative or tranquiliser but was later widely promoted as a drug to treat morning sickness during pregnancy.
It was withdrawn from most markets in 1961 following widespread evidence of its link to birth defects, but was still sold in Ireland until 1964.
Many children were born without limbs or with shortened limbs, with hearing and vision impairment and injuries to internal organs.
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In September, 2024, the Government appointed retired High Court Judge Mr Justice Paul Gilligan to engage with thalidomide survivors in what is known as the thalidomide resolution process.
However, more than a year later, The Irish Times understands the process has reached an “impasse” and there is an issue around 10 or 12 “unacknowledged” thalidomide survivors whose mothers took the drug after it had been officially withdrawn.
It is hoped Thursday’s meeting will address these issues and bring the process closer to a resolution.
The ITA has repeatedly said it wants a State apology, statutory supports and a fair compensation scheme to be introduced.
There are about 40 thalidomide survivors in Ireland, all in their 60s, who the association says should be fully recognised. A handful of mothers of thalidomide survivors are also still alive, some of whom are in their 90s.
In 1975, a financial settlement was arrived at between Ireland and Grünenthal, the German maker of thalidomide.
However, the ITA has consistently stated this agreement was made at a time when those affected were not expected to survive for long. It says the complexity of their health needs decades later could not be anticipated.
Speaking in advance of Thursday’s meeting, thalidomide survivor and spokeswoman for ITA, Finola Cassidy, said she hoped progress would be made at the meeting.
“Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris need to own this and take political accountability to bring six decades of this saga to conclusion,” she said. “They need to become the decision-makers in fixing this once and for all.”
In response to a recent parliamentary question on the topic on October 21st, Norma Foley, Minister for Children, said the National Thalidomide Advocacy Office (NTAO) has this year “supported four individuals to apply to Contergan in Germany for recognition that their disabilities are as a result of Thalidomide exposure”.
Contergan is a brand name under which thalidomide was marketed.
Ms Foley added: “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.”
