An Irish MEP has said survivors of the thalidomide scandal need better support and compensation.

The drug was used in the late 1950s and early 1960s as a morning sickness drug before it turned out to have severe side-effects on pregnant women and their unborn babies.

Independent MEP Marian Harkin said that the EU Parliament wants to ensure those survivors who are still alive are properly compensated.

“What we’re trying now to do, and it’s late in the day, is too final get some sort of a package in place, both at national level, individual governments, and also with the company to make sure that those people who remain alive, who have thalidomide, finally get some kind of adequate compensation that will allow them to meet their very significant health needs,” she said.