Mr. Declan O'Rourke:

These are risks and issues we need to watch. The PIAB is an independent State body set up to assess injuries. For all of us, it is the best place for injuries to be assessed. However, out of 30,000 cases that go into the PIAB, only 6,000 get assessed there. I am not saying these things will happen but it is really important that we keep an eye on them. That figure of 6,000 needs to increase and it is in everyone's interest that it does. Right now, there is no incentive if a case comes out of the PIAB and the legal costs go from €800 to €16,000. There is no barrier to stop that happening. We just need to be careful with the structures that are in place and that behaviours do not change to cause obstructions.