State thalidomide apology long overdue, says campaigner

Updated / Monday, 9 Nov 2026 09:39

A State apology for people affected by the drug, thalidomide, is long overdue and costs nothing, a spokesperson for the Irish Thalidomide Association has said.

Finola Cassidy was responding to comments by Tánaiste Simon Harris, who said yesterday that he would like a State apology to be delivered this year.

Thalidomide was prescribed to pregnant women in the 1950s and 1960s as a treatment for morning sickness, but was later withdrawn because of its links to birth defects and lifelong disabilities.

The German manufacturer apologised in 2012 to those born without limbs as a result of its use.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Ms Cassidy pointed out that there are only 18 to 20 sitting days left in the Dáil between now and Christmas and said she did not know what was causing delays in delivering an apology.

"An apology costs nothing, you know, and maybe we don't need another Christmas to pass without receiving it.

"I feel very strongly that it's long overdue and, you know, an apology in itself will have to be meaningful."

She added: "We don't understand what is going on behind the scenes, but we will respect the process."

Ms Cassidy said any apology would have to address the State's failure to withdraw thalidomide in a timely manner and its failure to protect children who suffered health problems as a result of the drug.

Adequate healthcare was not provided, she said, and compensation awards were never approved by the courts, meaning they could have been withdrawn at any time.

The final apology must copper-fasten all of this, because survivors do not have the energy or health to return to the table on the issue, Ms Cassidy said.

"I think we have been fair. I think our viewpoint, for such a small group, is genuine and fair. We really hope they can instruct all the parties involved that this has to be done."

Yesterday, Mr Harris said: "We're working in good faith to try and resolve this issue. And yes, I really would like to see that apology issued this year."

The Tánaiste said there have been "a number of areas where progress has been made".

However, he added: "What we're endeavouring to do here is to resolve all the outstanding issues. The view was always to try and resolve the outstanding issues and then have the apology."