93. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to ensure the survivors of institutional abuse who recently ended their hunger strike receive their HAA card and full contributory pension. [11582/26]

Sentiment score: -0.21

I congratulate the Minister on her role. I have not seen Deputy Naughton in the Chamber in this capacity. I wish her the very best of luck. I wanted to discuss those people who were on hunger strike for 51 days before Christmas. Lots of promises have been made and negotiations have happened but there has not been much action. I want to remind people why they were on hunger strike. It was because when they were children, they were boarded out. They were part of industrial schools or reformatory schools. They were physically abused, mentally abused and sexually abused. They were unloved, underfed, beaten, spat at, kicked and punished for years and years. I want to know what are the Minister's plans to make sure that everything they requested and that was negotiated will now come to fruition.

Sentiment score: -0.04

While that is welcome and the survivors, with whom I have spoken, are happy the things being outlined are going to happen, the problem is around when they will happen. When will there be the apology from the Government about the criminal records given to these children? The Taoiseach promised these things in the letter in November. When will the apology from the Government about the boarding out of the children happen? Has the circular to the local authorities gone out as promised? With regard to the social protection that would give financial assistance, when will that happen? Some of the people who have been on hunger strike have been suffering financially because they are living in local authority situations that, I have to say, are not great. Before Christmas, I was quite worried about one in particular. I know the package of supports is not the HAA card. I would caution that I am aware that for people who were in mother and baby homes and have a HAA card, it does not always work out like it is supposed to be. Where things are supposed to be free of charge, they are being charged but I can come to that at another time. The health liaison officers are still not in place. When will they be in place? It is really a matter of when. I am looking for more specific details than it will be in the near future.

Sentiment score: 0.05

I appreciate that, and I know they do as well. Going back to the human level, however, that Act was enacted in July and they were on strike in the autumn. It is now springtime. They have had decades of recurring trauma based on how this country treated them as children. Some of them are of advanced age and some are not but, with the toll it has taken on them - not only the hunger strike but the entirety of their lives - they have said they do not know how much longer they have. I urge the Minister to be as fast as she can on this and that we never forget. I am hoping the Government will issue that apology sooner rather than later. I know there are technicalities it needs to do but an apology is an acknowledgement of things not being right in the past. Before I finish, I welcome my transition year students who are up in the Public Gallery and have done great work this week. Well done lads, you have been brilliant.

Sentiment score: 0.25