Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 July 2026
528. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she will commission an independent examination of the costs, benefits and practical requirements of establishing a no-fault patient-injury compensation scheme in Ireland, including the potential impact on patients, legal costs, the length of time taken to resolve claims and expenditure by the State Claims Agency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54472/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn September 2024, the Department of Health published the report of the Interdepartmental Working Group on the Rising Cost of Health Related Claims, along with two ancillary reports, ‘Plaintiff experiences of the medico-legal environment in Ireland (UCC)’ and ‘A Comparative analysis of clinical negligence claims in a range of jurisdictions (HRB)’. The Report, along with examining the financial costs, placed a strong emphasis on the human cost of litigation.
The report identifies six strategic priorities, which aim to reduce the requirement for litigation in healthcare, improve the litigation process for those taking this path and to reduce costs. It sets out a comprehensive set of recommendations that span a range of government departments and agencies.
The Department is committed to ensuring that the recommendations are implemented without delay. This work is currently in progress, overseen by an Interdepartmental/Agency Implementation Group, chaired by the Department of Health, and comprised of membership from relevant Government Departments and agencies, including the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, the Health Service Executive (HSE), the Courts Service, State Claims Agency and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.
A detailed Implementation Plan was published in October 2025. The majority of agreed short-term actions have been completed, with work continuing on medium and long-term actions. The Implementation Group continues to meet regularly to drive progress, monitor delivery against agreed actions and timelines, and report in line with its terms of reference.
The State Claims Agency (SCA) has a statutory remit to manage personal injury claims on behalf of State Authorities.
