Hunger strike by survivors of industrial schools ends

FOUR industrial school survivors, including Carlow town resident Mary Dunlevy Greene, have ended their hunger strike outside the Dáil after 51 days.

Ms Dunlevy Greene (73) and her fellow hunger strikers had been sleeping rough in a makeshift campsite close to the Dáil since 21 September, surviving only on water, vitamins and coffee for the duration of the strike.

The hunger strike was called off last night following a meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Education Helen McEntee.

As per Martin Wall of The Irish Times, the Taoiseach set out a series of measures to the group outside Leinster House last night, which includes priority access for social housing, financial assistance, and healthcare supports provided by the Government.

In an interview with The Nationalist in late October, Ms Dunlevy Greene described her experience in Mount St Vincent Industrial School, Co Limerick as “completely savage.”