Tánaiste Simon Harris has said 2026 “has to be the year” when the Government finally resolves the outstanding issues facing the Irish Thalidomide Association (ITA), including a State apology. Speaking on RTÉ Radio’s This Week, Harris stressed his personal involvement in supporting survivors.
“I really really hope so. Myself and the Taoiseach are personally and intimately involved in this situation,” he said. Harris added that he and Taoiseach Micheál Martin are taking direct responsibility from the State side and hope to reach a point where a formal apology can be issued. “We want to do that as part of resolving a number of issues,” he said. He emphasised the need to bring closure to people who have suffered lifelong consequences.
Thalidomide was prescribed to pregnant women in the 1950s and 1960s to combat morning sickness, but it was later withdrawn after being linked to severe birth defects, including limb malformations. The German manufacturer formally apologised in 2012 to those affected worldwide.
In October last year, members of the Irish Thalidomide Association met Taoiseach Martin and Tánaiste Harris at Government Buildings. Following the meeting, the Government confirmed that a pathway for people whose injuries have not yet been formally recognised as thalidomide-related is being completed. Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has agreed to provide discretionary medical cards to unacknowledged survivors, applying to those currently seeking acknowledgement or intending to do so through the State process.
The meeting also addressed an enhanced package of services for all thalidomide survivors. Martin and Harris committed to meet members of the ITA board again next month as the resolution process continues.
In 2024, then-Taoiseach Harris announced an improved health package for survivors. This included simplified access to local health and social care professionals, clinical and holistic therapies, independent living supports such as housing and car adaptations, annual health assessments, and free travel passes.
A dedicated resolution process was set up under retired judge Paul Gilligan to help formalise claims and ensure survivors receive the support they need. However, campaigners have expressed frustration, saying the process, which remains confidential, has stalled.
Harris acknowledged these concerns, indicating that the Government wants 2026 to mark tangible progress. “Is it a question of moving ahead with the apology? Can we move sequentially on a number of issues at the same time? This has to be the year when we bring some degree of closure to people who have been treated so badly,” he said.
The commitment signals a renewed focus by the Irish Government on resolving longstanding grievances of Thalidomide survivors, many of whom continue to navigate significant physical, financial, and social challenges decades after the drug was first prescribed.
