THALIDOMIDE SURVIVORS are to take legal action against Minister for Health Mary Harney following her refusal to reconsider the compensation package offered to the 32 people affected by the drug.
The Irish Thalidomide Association yesterday met Ms Harney to seek negotiations on the compensation package offered last April. Ms Harney said she was not in a position to change the offer. Lump sums of €62,500 for each survivor, plus an annual lump sum of up to €3,680 each had been offered. There was also provision for special care packages and financial assistance to help meet transport needs where necessary. The association had said that offer was “derisory”.
The association’s secretary,Finola Cassidy, said she was saddened and disappointed that Ms Harney had “nothing new” to say to the group yesterday.
“She repeated the offer we rejected in April, she had nothing new to say. We asked if the payment could be treated as an interim settlement pending further negotiations of a care package, but she was not for turning.”
Ms Harney said she reiterated the terms of the package yesterday because she felt it was important that the group was aware that the offer would lapse if the payment was not taken up by the end of the year. However, she said there was no possibility the offer could be taken as an interim payment.
“I said no it couldn’t be an interim payment, this was the final offer from this Government. It was being done on an ex-gratia basis; it wasn’t going to affect their legal strategy; it wasn’t going to tie the hands of any future government, but it was certainly the final offer from this Government’s perspective,” Ms Harney told RTÉ Radio yesterday.
The Minister said she was disappointed by the association’s response.
“I’m sorry they’ve taken the view they have in relation to the meeting. I regret that very much, but we have put a lot of effort and a lot of thought into the needs of 32 people, particularly into their medical needs.”
The main Opposition parties have promised to look at increased compensation for survivors if in government after the general election.
