David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Tánaiste and myself, I thank Senators for their support and constructive engagement on this Bill. The Bill as passed by this House provides that a court may award damages by way of a periodic payments order, having considered the best interests of the plaintiff and all of the circumstances of the case, including the views of the parties. The court must be satisfied that payments under the order will be secure.

The Bill also provides for the indexation of periodic payments and that the payments will be tax free. In the unlikely event that a person in receipt of a periodic payment become bankrupt the Bill provides for such payments will not be vested in the official assignee. The Bill includes important provisions to support voluntary open disclosure of patient safety incidents.

I thank Senators for facilitating the inclusion of these provisions. The measures of open disclosure form part of the Government's wider approach to improving patient safety throughout our health system.