Paul Murphy on 22-Day Hunger Strike Outside Leinster House
Paul Murphy raised the case of elderly, vulnerable survivors on hunger strike outside Leinster House and called for immediate intervention. He said they have been on hunger strike for 22 days and demanded access to a full HAA medical card and a full State contributory pension after being excluded from comparable redress.
The group are survivors of industrial and reformatory schools and have been on hunger strike for 22 days outside Leinster House. Their ask is simple - access to a full HAA medical card and a full State contributory pension based on awards made to survivors from similar institutions from which they say they have been excluded.
Murphy argued the State failed survivors when they were committed to those institutions and is failing them again by excluding them from redress. He warned that acknowledging past failures is meaningless if survivors remain excluded from entitlements previously awarded to others.
The Taoiseach said he had met the group recently, invited them into government buildings and discussed a lengthy list of issues in the group's presence. Officials have been asked to examine the requests and the Government said it is willing to engage, while noting the requests have repercussions elsewhere and are not straightforward.
The Taoiseach said the Minister for Education has offered to meet the group or to have officials meet on the Government's behalf. He urged the strikers to come off the hunger strike for health reasons and proposed a flexible process to engage in good faith and try to improve existing arrangements.
Officials were tasked with looking at the issues raised and further meetings were offered as a pathway to resolution. Paul Murphy sought an intervention to resolve the matter and to prevent further harm to elderly survivors.
Hunger strike and demands
The group are survivors of industrial and reformatory schools and have been on hunger strike for 22 days outside Leinster House. Their ask is simple - access to a full HAA medical card and a full State contributory pension based on awards made to survivors from similar institutions from which they say they have been excluded.
State failure and exclusion
Murphy argued the State failed survivors when they were committed to those institutions and is failing them again by excluding them from redress. He warned that acknowledging past failures is meaningless if survivors remain excluded from entitlements previously awarded to others.
Government response and engagement
The Taoiseach said he had met the group recently, invited them into government buildings and discussed a lengthy list of issues in the group's presence. Officials have been asked to examine the requests and the Government said it is willing to engage, while noting the requests have repercussions elsewhere and are not straightforward.
Offers of meetings and health concerns
The Taoiseach said the Minister for Education has offered to meet the group or to have officials meet on the Government's behalf. He urged the strikers to come off the hunger strike for health reasons and proposed a flexible process to engage in good faith and try to improve existing arrangements.
Next steps and calls for resolution
Officials were tasked with looking at the issues raised and further meetings were offered as a pathway to resolution. Paul Murphy sought an intervention to resolve the matter and to prevent further harm to elderly survivors.
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Transcript
Thanks. I want to raise again, the case of the elderly, vulnerable people on hunger strike. They are 22 days on hunger strike outside Leinster House. They are survivors of industrial and reformatory schools, putting their health on the line to try to access justice both for themselves and their fellow survivors. They were failed once by the State when they were committed to these heinous institutions that have been failed again now. Their ask is very simple and very modest to access a full HAA medical card and a full State contributory pension based on what has been awarded to survivors from similar institutions but from which they have been excluded. It is not enough that the State acknowledges that it has failed survivors historically if it excludes survivors from redress for these past wrongdoings. It is showing that it has not learned lessons. It is obviously getting into a very grave situation when we are 22 days for elderly people and asking if there can be an intervention here. Thank you, Deputy Murphy, Tisha. I have met with the group last Friday week. I asked the group into government buildings and we met in the Tisha's offices and had a lengthy discussion. You know the history. I would have established inquiry into the industrialist schools. It was followed by a comprehensive redress scheme and other measures that were taken. We are willing to engage and I have asked my officials to look at all the various requests from the group but there are repercussions elsewhere and it is not as simple or straightforward as has been presented. But we are willing to engage. There was quite a list of issues that were discussed. That is my officials to look at those issues. I am also meeting with the Minister for Education who has also offered to meet with the group or officials on our behalf have offered to meet with the group. So I would like this resolved. But I think there has to be a bit of flexibility and maybe get into a sort of a process whereby we can, I would like them to come off the hunger strike because I think it can be damaging health-wise. And I would like them to come off it in good faith that we would engage on issues and try and improve what is there already. Time is up. Thanks, Tisha. Deputy Paddertal.