Miriam Moriarty Owens, Mary Donovan, Mary Dunleavy Greene and Maurice Patton O'Connell endured 50 days on hunger strike to demand action from the Government for the survivors of industrial and reformatory schools. They ended their protest after securing from the Taoiseach specific commitments, including a Government apology and a number of measures to improve the lives and well-being of survivors. However, they have been in contact to raise serious concerns that the appointed mediator will not meet them again until January. They fear that without clear timelines, the commitment outlined in the Taoiseach's letter to them will stall and fall into delay.

The risk now is that the protesters feel compelled to resume their hunger strike, potentially in the run-up to Christmas. We all know these folk have endured enough suffering. I ask the Taoiseach to give firm assurances that the commitments he made will be progressed without delay and to intervene to make sure the mediator meets with the survivors before Christmas.

I spoke to my officials yesterday again on this. I want to thank the survivors for the engagement I have had with them. There is absolutely no need to even contemplate going back on hunger strike. I will fulfil the commitments that I have made along with the then Minister for education. I wrote to the survivors, and I will fulfil those commitments as soon as we possibly can. We are putting together the detail and fleshing out the commitments I made in correspondence with them on these. I want to give the Deputy that commitment.