Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

If someone has a personal injury they must make an application to the PIAB within 12 months. The Statute of Limitations for personal injury cases is being reduced from three years to one year both in this Bill and in the legislation the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is introducing. The PIAB has a certain timeframe to make an assessment and the individual can accept or reject it. If one has not made the application within the timeframe, one cannot do so. The other issue which arises is that of reopening the case. This cannot be done with the PIAB.