Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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There was a suggestion that the Courts Service would look at the making of periodic payments rather than having very large sums handed out. Has that been looked at? The question boils down to that. Where the Comptroller and Auditor General comes in is that if a fund in respect of a particular individual runs out, it falls back on the State and public funds to deal with the costs thereafter. As a committee, it is something on which we should make a recommendation to the Department of Justice and Equality. This matter should be examined again in consultation with the good people of the Courts Service. The question is on the periodic issue. The service would say, for a fund of €3 million, for example, that it was going to pay so much per year.

To date, in respect of how many individuals that were wards of court has a fund run out leaving the HSE and other organs of the State to deal with the costs involved in their care?