Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 169: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the process associated with the health repayment scheme; when she expects such payments to be concluded; the costs associated with the refunds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10882/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Health Service Executive has responsibility for administering the Health Repayment Scheme in association with the appointed Scheme Administrator KPMG accountants and McCann Fitzgerald solicitors. Over 35,300 applications have been received under the Health Repayment Scheme and 35,200 (99%) applications have been finalised resulting in over 21,200 offers of repayment totalling €433 million. It is expected that the 100 remaining applications will be finalised over the coming weeks.

Over 18,900 repayments have issued to the value of €424 million. A repayment cannot be completed until the statutory 28 day appeal period has elapsed and a completed acceptance form has been returned to the Scheme Administrator. Applicants must be provided with the opportunity to appeal the decision of the Scheme Administrator and this appeals process will impact on the overall timeframe for the completion of repayments. The total cost of the Health Repayment Scheme is estimated to be €465 million comprising of repayments totalling €438 million and overheads totalling €27 million.