Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2026
484. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health following the dissolution of the CervicalCheck Tribunal, the full costs of the Tribunal from inception to dissolution, by cost type by year; the number of eligible claims; the number of claims made; the number of decisions made; the number of settlements or awards made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15683/26]
View answerThe CervicalCheck Tribunal was established on 27 October 2020 under the CervicalCheck Tribunal Act 2019.
In a letter dated 31 July 2023, the Tribunal Chairperson informed the Minister for Health that all claims had been processed, and that as such the Tribunal’s core statutory functions had been completed.
Having completed its required administrative work and discharging any remaining obligations conferred upon the Chairperson, Judge Power submitted her resignation as Chairperson of the Tribunal on 18 April 2024.
The CervicalCheck Tribunal was formally dissolved on 30 January 2026, ensuring that the Restoration of Trust Meetings process provided for under Chapter 5 of the Act remained available, and honouring the commitment made to the 221+ patient support group that eligible individuals would have adequate time to engage with the process.
Cost of the Tribunal
|
Office fit-out |
€1,627,645.00 |
|
Lease of premises |
€999,534.58 |
|
Service charges |
€340,916.10 |
|
Operating Costs |
€477,497.78 |
The Tribunal was based in the Infinity Building in Smithfield in office space that was fitted out to meet the Tribunal’s requirements. The fit-out costs were €1,627,645.
Lease costs associated with the Tribunal’s occupation of the premises from 2021 to 17 April 2024 were €999,534.58 (excl. VAT). Service charges for this same period of occupancy was €340,916.10 (excl. VAT).
Operating costs for the Tribunal, including set-up costs, were €477,497.78 (incl. VAT) up to April 2025, when all final invoices had been received.
The Annual Reports for 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 are published on the Department’s website (www.gov.ie/en/publication/c5125-minister-donnelly-publishes-2020-annual-report-of-the-cervicalcheck-tribunal/) and include particulars of its accounts.
Claims
Twenty-six [26] claims (of which two were combined) were lodged with the Tribunal.
Twenty [20] claims were lodged by women and six [6] claims were lodged by or on behalf of the statutory dependants of women.
All twenty-six [26] claims made to the Tribunal were processed.
Eighteen [18] claims were resolved on the basis of a settlement reached between the parties.
Seven [7] cases were resolved on the basis of a Notification issued pursuant to s.12 of the CervicalCheck Tribunal Act, 2019. This means that the claimants were notified by the Tribunal that it was not in a position to hear and determine the claim for want of either respondent or third-party consent in circumstances where such consent was either not forthcoming or had been withdrawn.
One [1] case was struck out when an ‘Unless Order’ came into effect.
Awards
The Tribunal did not make any awards. Some of the 25 cases were settled between the parties, some were withdrawn and went to the High Court, and some were abandoned completely. None went to a full hearing and, therefore, no awards were made by the Tribunal.
