Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Barrett raised the important issue of medical negligence, and it is timely that this entire area should be reviewed because of the cost to the State and to consider what can be improved within the health service to reduce the level of mistakes made. The figures the Senator quoted are absolutely frightening, but the matter touched on during yesterday's debate, namely, the possibility of staged payment of claims, also is important. This is how such payments are managed in Canada, and we should move to a similar system here. In cases for which I have acted over the past ten years, people received substantial compensation payments and put them into investments and property. However, they now find the compensation they received has disappeared, whereas with a staged payment process, people at least are guaranteed to cover their losses into the future on foot of suffering serious injury or whatever. I support Senator Barrett and it is time for this matter to be reviewed. Perhaps Members should have a debate on the issue during the next term.