Information session being held for Waterford industrial school survivors
“I can assure survivors that they will receive a very warm welcome Tuesday.”
A drop-in information session is being held for survivors of institutional abuse from Waterford and surrounding counties at the Granville Hotel this Tuesday, July 21, between 10:30am and 2:30pm.
Sage Advocacy, the national advocacy body for older people and survivors of institutional abuse, will provide one-to-one meetings with survivors, detailing the new government supports and entitlements they may be eligible for.
These will include entitlements that have been recently put in place for eligible survivors to avail of counselling and physiotherapy services, education grants, funeral costs, housing support, and a lifetime medical card.
Damian O’Farrell, Sage Advocacy project manager, said: “A key priority is ensuring that eligible survivors are aware and can access the supports available to them, including in areas such as health, education, well-being, and housing.
“I can assure survivors that they will receive a very warm welcome Tuesday. Application forms for the supports will be available, and practical assistance will be provided.”
He added: "The legislative supports and additional measures are a positive development. The additional measures in particular are the direct achievement of four brave survivors who campaigned on behalf of all former industrial and reformatory school residents.”
Miriam Moriarty Owens, an industrial school survivor and hunger striker from Tralee, will also attend the information session this Tuesday and will discuss the new entitlements, as well as the meeting Taoiseach Micheál Martin held with the four hunger strikers earlier this year.
