I join with colleagues in expressing my horror and revulsion at the experiences of the Tánaiste and his family and the intimidation inflicted on them earlier this year. I think the solution to that particular problem rests in following the advice of the Ceann Comhairle yesterday and proceeding to build on the work of the committee on safe participation in public life, led by the former Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan.

Governments in this wonderful little country of ours have on occasions in the past got things wrong. We have made mistakes. We have proven that we can resolve those problems but, very often, the victims of the mistakes tell us that they have had to drag the Government and the public service screaming and crying to the table to find a solution. I am talking today about thalidomide victims. This was raised here on 10 July by our colleague Deputy Barry Ward. That was the anniversary of the appointment of Mr. Justice Gilligan to address the concerns of thalidomide victims, 60 years after their mothers took this drug and the State failed to act expeditiously to have it withdrawn. With the numbers of people who are victims steadily reducing, when oh when will both the Tánaiste, as a compassionate Tánaiste, and the highly compassionate Minister for Health move to ensure that the problems of thalidomide victims are once and for all resolved?

I thank the Deputy for his kind words and solidarity. I thank him for the work he did as Ceann Comhairle on the issue of public safety. He led on this with the appointment of former Commissioner O'Sullivan. I was grateful to the Ceann Comhairle for her leadership yesterday as this Dáil term resumed. I wrote to her last night about her suggestion of convening party leaders to look at this wider issue. I appreciate Deputy Ó Fearghaíl's comments in relation to myself and my family. As I said in my statement, it will be me today and someone else tomorrow. We need to act together on this in the interests of our democracy and the safety of everybody involved in public life.

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of thalidomide. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, and I have discussed this. I discussed this with the Taoiseach as recently as one week ago. This an area we really want to see a resolution to. I accept it has gone on for far too long. Deputy Barry Ward has regularly raised this issue as well. We decided in September 2024 to appoint Mr. Justice Paul Gilligan to facilitate a thalidomide resolution process. I know the judge is continuing to engage with survivors and their representatives and is expected to revert to Government as soon as that process is completed. I can assure the Deputy this is an area that is receiving priority attention at the highest levels of Government. We all intend to pull together on this and try to get this resolved for once and for all.