To explain how the issue of what are termed "historic liabilities" has arisen, I need to outline in greater detail how hospital consultants provide themselves with professional indemnity cover at present. Hospital consultants are obliged by their contracts to keep themselves indemnified against the cost of malpractice claims that may be made against them. They provide themselves with this cover through membership of one of the two mutual defence bodies that operate in Ireland. These are the Medical Defence Union and the Medical Protection Society. Both bodies are based in the United Kingdom.