Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Professor Fitzpatrick talking about outcomes for patients brings us nicely into the remit of the Committee of Public Accounts. We have been dealing with the State Claims Agency and there is about €2 billion in cases there relating to medical negligence, the vast majority of which relate to obstetrics. In view of this conversation, we will send the transcript to the State Claims Agency and see if it can respond. We have asked it for a breakdown of that on a hospital-by-hospital basis, but it is reluctant to do that because it might give a hospital a bad name if it is hit by five or six serious claims worth €50 million. In terms of reducing claims and providing a better service, there is information in the system that people do not want released for other purposes, but that would be a valuable source of information to help people make important decisions in this regard. Ultimately, prevention of some of these serious incidents is the best outcome for everyone, with no legal and medical bills coming five or six years down the road.