David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have a question. I asked several parliamentary questions on the cost of the tribunal. I keep repeating that the cost is not the fundamental issue. The fundamental issue is to make sure we have a tribunal that works. Obviously, we also have to watch costs. By extending the time period by six months, taking that as the first part, are there are any anticipated additional costs? What are the expected annual running costs of the tribunal? As a consequence of this Bill being passed and the extension of the eligibility period for six months, what will be the anticipated cost above the overall operating cost we have already been told about?

On Deputy Cullinane's point first, I will get him an answer on that. It is important to note that significant costs have been incurred and most of these are fixed costs relating to the premises. The running costs are much lower. By extending the tribunal for six months, we are not doubling or near doubling the costs and the facility we have will be available for a long time to come for other uses as well.

On Deputy Smith's amendment, the tribunal is currently required to submit its annual report for every financial year to the Minister for Health under section 35 of the Act and the first annual report was submitted to me on 25 June. The Act provides that the Minister can publish the information in the tribunal's annual report if he or she thinks fit and I am undertaking to make a summary of the information submitted to me by the tribunal available to Deputies for its 2020 report. An amendment to facilitate that is not necessary as I will be doing it in any event.

To address Deputy Cullinane's point on details of the tribunal's accounts, many of these have been released in reply to parliamentary questions but I am certainly happy to share any and all costs and financial information.

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