Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 318: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the situation in respect of the State's failure to provide a compensation scheme for psychiatric nurses injured by assault at work. [32817/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Psychiatric nurses can currently avail of the Revised Physical Assault Scheme 2001 which provides support to nurses who have suffered serious injury. This scheme provides for enhanced sick pay arrangements and medical expenses. In circumstances where a nurse is certified permanently unfit to resume duty they may be paid 5/6 of full salary until retirement. However, the psychiatric nurses have sought an additional compensation scheme for assaults in the course of their work. In 2002 a Taskforce was established to:

Examine the incidence of assaults on nurses and the level of injury therefrom;

Investigate the reasons for such assaults with a view to putting in place effective preventative measures;

Put forward proposals for an appropriate compensation scheme for nurses injured through assault at work, such proposals to have regard to the special position of psychiatric nurses, and

Prepare and present a report of its findings and recommendations to the Minister for Health and Children.

The report of the Taskforce was finalised in April 2003. In considering the Report of the Task Force, complex legal and financial issues emerged in relation to aspects of the proposed scheme and their implications for the health service and the wider public service. As a result the Government decided in July 2005 not to introduce a "no fault" compensation scheme for psychiatric nurses as outlined in the Task Force Report. I confirmed this position to the nurses' representatives at a meeting in July 2005.

However, following the Government decision it was decided to request the State Claims Agency (SCA) to examine the possibility of establishing a fixed redress fund for psychiatric nurses physically injured as a result of an assault by a patient.

Consultations between my Department, the Department of Finance, the SCA and the Health Service Executive — Employers Agency have been ongoing. Proposals for consideration by Government are at an advanced stage and I expect to be in a position to bring the matter to Government in the near future.