Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 99: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on reports that the administration of repayments of money illegally deducted from patients in long-stay accommodation could cost up to €50 million and that further delays are expected due to these excessive fees being sought by outside consultants; the reasons for not utilising skills within the Civil Service to administer this service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15454/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health Service Executive has responsibility for administering the repayment scheme including the recruitment of an outside company with experience in handling mass claims to manage the scheme within the parameters agreed by the Government. The company will provide an independent assessment of the amount of repayment due to each applicant under the scheme. It will also help to reassure the public that the scheme is being operated in the most equitable and effective way possible.

The executive is undertaking a procurement process to select the outside company. The timescale determined by the executive for the selection process, including the appointment of the successful company, is mid-May 2006, with repayments to claimants likely to commence shortly after. As the selection process is by negotiated procedure, it is not possible at this stage to indicate the expected cost of such a company administering the scheme.

Consideration was given by the executive to the involvement of public sector staff to assist in administering the repayments scheme. However, the executive informed the Department of Health and Children that the time constraints of the procurement process and the potential for significant logistical difficulties and protracted delays, with consequent implications for the commencement of the repayment scheme, did not allow for this option to be implemented. The executive has also informed the Department of Health and Children that it would not be in a position to administer a repayment scheme of this magnitude with existing resources without having to divert staff from their normal functions in the delivery of health services.

In recognition of the importance of progressing repayments, I have asked the executive to identify all those living patients who were wrongfully charged and to calculate the details of the repayment due to them in as many cases as possible during the period prior to the selection of the outside company. This will ensure a significant proportion of patients should receive their repayments within a short period of the company becoming operational. The executive has informed the Department of Health and Children that approximately 10,000 repayments have been calculated by the executive to date, approximately half of which relate to those who are alive.