Concern grows for Dáil hunger striker

Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte has expressed concern about the plight of a man who has been on hunger strike outside the Dáil for the past three weeks.

57-year-old Tom Sweeney, from Tallaght, mounted the hunger strike in protest at his treatment by the Residential Institutions Redress Board.

Mr Sweeney was originally offered €113,000 in compensation for abuse he suffered at residential institutions in Artane and Salthill in the late 1950s and early 1960s, but this was reduced to €67,000 after he chose to tell his story to the Redress board.

Speaking in the Dáil this morning, Mr Rabbitte said he feared Mr Sweeney could do irreparable damage to his health if the situation was not sorted out.

He asked the Tánaiste, Mary Harney, what action the Government was taking in response to the matter.

Ms Harney responded by saying: “I understand there was a meeting in the House last night with Mr Sweeney and other parties and every effort is being made both by government representatives and church leaders and, indeed, representatives of the opposition parties to try and intervene in this case in a humanitarian way with a view to having Mr Sweeney end his hunger strike. I hope that those efforts can be successful.”