Written answers

Tuesday, 31 March 2015

Department of Health

Symphysiotomy Reports

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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451. To ask the Minister for Health regarding the Government symphysiotomy payment scheme, the total number of offers made and accepted to date at €50,000, €100,000 and €150,000. [12861/15]

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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452. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of remuneration, including the fees and expenses paid, in total in respect of persons (details supplied) for reports and reviews undertaken. [12862/15]

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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453. To ask the Minister for Health the total remuneration, including fees and expenses, paid to persons and organisations (details supplied) in respect of their acknowledged contribution to the independent review of issues relating to symphysiotomy, which was authored by a former judge. [12863/15]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 451 to 453, inclusive, together.

One hundred and fifty three offers have been made by the Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme and accepted by the applicants to date, as follows:

Amount of awardNumber of offers made to and accepted by the by the applicants

to the scheme
€50,00097
€100,00051
€150,0005

The Department commissioned Professor Oonagh Walsh to undertake an independent academic research report in relation to the practice of symphysiotomy in Ireland from 1944-1984. The research also included a public consultation process to offer an opportunity to the women affected by this procedure, their families and health professionals to give their views. The fee for this research and report submitted to the Department in May 2013 was a total of €47,500. Prof Walsh was not paid additional travel and subsistence expenses for her work.

The fee paid to Judge Murphy for the "Independent Review of Issues relating to Symphysiotomy" was €15,000 inclusive of taxes. Judge Murphy also contributed time and expertise pro bono in carrying out this Review. Amounts of €112.66 and £129.77 stg were paid to Professor Oonagh Walsh for travel and subsistence expenses when she travelled to meet Judge Murphy in the course of this Review. €750 was paid to Niamh Moloney for research carried out in the U.K. to assist Judge Murphy in the Review. No payments were made to any of the others listed by the Deputy in respect of their contribution to Judge Murphy's review.

My officials are validating the total amount paid to Judge Clark in respect of the Lourdes Hospital Inquiry: an inquiry into peripartum hysterectomy at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda. I will revert to the Deputy with this figure as soon as possible. Judge Clark contributed her time and expertise pro bono as Chairperson of the Lourdes Hospital Redress Board. Judge Clark did not receive fees or expenses in relation to the Walsh Report or the Murphy Review.

The Symphysiotomy Payments Scheme was approved by Government in July 2014 and the Scheme commenced in November 2014. Judge Clark contributed time and expertise pro bono in devising of the Symphysiotomy Payment Scheme and her payment did not commence until the establishment of the Scheme in November, 2014. Judge Clark is receiving a gross salary equating to €155,062 per annum for work on the Scheme, which is apportioned fortnightly.

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