Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I would like to ask two questions before I hand back to our panel. Surely the delays in the conducting of claims will add to the costs. How can we expedite the process of admitting liability and ascertaining quantum?

If we focus excessively on the costs, are we missing the key issues of how to reduce the incidence of medical negligence and how to put in place measures to reduce the number of adverse incidents? The medical profession have seen the costs of professional indemnity insurance go up. Is there a way they can be assisted in reducing that? If one takes the consultant doing his work, in some cases 40% to 50% of their pay is going towards the cost of this insurance.

I apologise to the witnesses and the members. I must attend another meeting at 6.40 p.m. As a committee, we will review the evidence of the last two days before deciding what we will do next. We may have to take another set of hearings, but we will take time as a committee to review what we have heard today and last Thursday before deciding where to go next.