The Irish Thalidomide Association has said it is "really disappointed" with the incoming coalition's Programme for Government plans, saying it wants a "clear commitment" to be supported.
The prospective Programme for Government says the coalition will "continue to engage with and support thalidomide survivors".
However, in a statement to RTÉ News, Irish Thalidomide Association spokesperson Finola Cassidy said this position does not go far enough.
"We are really disappointed with the wording in the programme for government as we would have expected a clear commitment in accordance with what they said at the thalidomide survivors meeting in July," she said.
"Both Micheál Martin and Simon Harris, as government leaders, indicated to us that all thalidomide issues would be finally dealt with.
"They need to be more forthright in their instructions to their negotiators to carry out their clear commitment to us."
After a meeting in July, the then coalition outlined its intention to appoint judge Paul Gilligan to engage with thalidomide survivors on what is needed.
The Irish Thalidomide Association has repeatedly said it wants a State apology, statutory supports and a fair compensation scheme to be introduced.
There are around 40 thalidomide survivors in Ireland, all in their 60s, who the association says should be fully recognised.
A handful of mothers of thalidomide survivors are also still alive, some of whom are in their 90s.
The draft Programme for Government will be debated by members of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael over the coming days.
Fine Gael will hold five meetings across the country beginning in Dublin tomorrow evening, while a Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis will be held in the capital on Sunday.
The two parties will be supported by nine Independent TDs from the Regional Group after Danny and Michael Healy-Rae joined that group yesterday.
'Promising' to see commitment to disability
Disability Federation of Ireland said it is "promising" to see a strong commitment to disability in the Programme for Government.
CEO Elaine Teague said: "22% of our population have a disability or disabling condition, so it is important that they see themselves in this Programme for Government.
"But I think a key question for us in this sector is, by the end of this term, will life be any better for disabled people? And crucially, how will we know that?"
She said it is key for the new disability strategy to recognise that education, transport, social protection, health, housing, employment, local government all have critical roles to play in delivering good lives for people with disabilities.
The Head of Communications and Policy with Family Carers Ireland welcomed the promise that the next government wants to abolish the means test for family carers in its lifetime.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Catherine Cox said this was a pivotal development and the first time any government has made the commitment.
"There are significant promises in this draft Programme for Government, if they were truly executed and realised, this would have a real positive impact on family carers' lives," Ms Cox said.
Social Democrats 'stayed in process' as long as they could
Social Democrats TD for Dublin Rathdown Sinead Gibney said her party has an issue around what Independent TDs will be receiving when they sign up to be in government.
Speaking on RTE's Today with Claire Byrne, Ms Gibney said that from her reading, she feels the programme will not address problems in housing, climate and public services, and seems to be lacking ambition.
She said the Social Democrats stayed in the negotiations process for as long as it could, adding that she rejected the accusation that the party went in "half heartedly".
