This is day 46 for the hunger strikers for justice outside Leinster House. Mary Donovan, Miriam Moriarty Owens, Mary Dunlevy Greene and Maurice Patton O'Connell represent the 4,000 survivors of residential institutional abuse. Their situation is critical. These survivors have been driven to this extreme action after decades of fighting for justice. They were deeply traumatised by the institutional abuse they suffered and now they are being retraumatised by the lack of action by the Government. Their demands are simple and include a State contributory pension and a medical card to help address the lifelong consequences of the abuse they suffered in industrial and reformatory schools.

The time for agreed, written commitments is now. Can the Minister confirm that the Taoiseach and the Minister will meet and engage with them today and deliver long overdue justice for these survivors?

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I know the Taoiseach had a meeting with some of the survivors in the past number of days. A process was put in place around the appointment of a mediator, which was wanted by all sides. The update I received on this yesterday was that a specific issue had arisen for the mediator who was due to be appointed but a recommended, very experienced alternate had agreed to be in place. It is my understanding that a meeting was due to take place at some point towards the end of yesterday or today so that a mediation process can advance. In the aftermath of the meeting with the Taoiseach, the Government certainly wants to see that mediation to occur and engagement with the survivors relating to some of the issues they are raising.