# Labour Demands State Apology for Thalidomide Survivors

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/belfast-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7598384/labour-demands-state-apology-for-thalidomide-survivors
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/belfast-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7598384/labour-demands-state-apology-for-thalidomide-survivors.md
Podcast: [Belfast News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!](https://stenobird.com/podcast/belfast-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7598384)
Published: 2026-05-27T01:38:29+00:00
Episode link: https://api.fastcast.ai/audio/a4c422c3-a8a8-432a-b820-a9b388c1de77.mp3
Audio file: https://api.fastcast.ai/audio/a4c422c3-a8a8-432a-b820-a9b388c1de77.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/belfast-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7598384/episodes/labour-demands-state-apology-for-thalidomide-survivors
Duration seconds: 112

## Resource

Labour leader Ivana Bacik is demanding a formal State apology for thalidomide survivors, urging the government to act now—there’s no legal barrier stopping them. The drug, once prescribed for morning sickness, caused devastating birth defects and remained on sale in Ireland until 1962. Survivors like Sharon Clarken, whose 96-year-old mother still bears guilt, are pleading for an apology while their loved ones are still alive. The government says Taoiseach and Tánaiste are working toward resolution, with an apology expected this year. Bacik praises survivors’ resilience and calls for three urgent steps: a public apology, a compensation and support package for growing medical needs, and a clear timeline. Many survivors, now in their 60s and 70s, face worsening pain and increasing dependence on assistive tech—no one should wait 60 years for justice. Support the show: Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: advertise@thednn.ai This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Report issues to feedback@thednn.ai. View sources & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/6aaccff69cd87125

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/belfast-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7598384/episodes/labour-demands-state-apology-for-thalidomide-survivors/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/belfast-news-today-2-min-news-the-daily-news-now-7598384/labour-demands-state-apology-for-thalidomide-survivors.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.