Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The last item is InterTradeIreland, which received a clear audit opinion. We note that as well.

We will proceed quickly. The next item is the work programme. Today's programme is in front of us. Next week, we will be dealing with matters relating to housing. On 8 November, we will be dealing with the State Claims Agency in the context of cervical cancer and thalidomide. I want to raise with the State Claims Agency the issue of medical negligence, which is significant. We will write to the agency in advance seeking a breakdown. It will surprise members to learn that the biggest bill facing the State is €2 billion in connection with medical negligence. Not enough attention has been paid to prevention. If we had a fraction of that money for the health service, we would not be in our current position. It is outrageous that there is so much medical negligence. I want to get a report in advance, as soon as is practicable, and we will return back to the issue on every case it has listed with a potential claim for €1 million. I will start at that amount and I will not go below it.

I want to get a breakdown similar to that which we obtained from the Tax Appeals Commission in respect of cases that are in different bands, for example, between €1 million and €5 million and how many are between €5 million and €10 million. In particular, I want to know the number of cases where the same professional is involved. We need to know if a medical professional has eight or ten medical negligence cases in the system and if he or she he is still carrying out medical procedures. The public needs to know. We cannot have people making mistakes on a regular basis, particularly with cases piling up. I do not suggest that is happening, but I do not know. I need a breakdown of the sum of the €2 billion relating to medical negligence. We will start to examine it. We will get the first schedule of figures and see where it takes us. We have a duty to put better measures in place to prevent a recurrence of cases of medical negligence. I know there are systems in place for the notification of each event but the amount is going up by €300 million every year, in addition to what has already been paid out in the past. It would be fantastic if the health service had even half of that money. This is an issue we have discussed in a global sense but we could do a useful service by getting some specific information.