Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 November 2004
155 Mr. Allen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the way in which she will implement the promise given recently that no hospital consultant will be without insurance cover and no patient without redress. [29015/04]
View answerThe precise means whereby claims alleging medical malpractice on the part of consultants who may be left without assistance by the Medical Defence Union will be managed is currently the subject of discussions between my Department, the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Chief State Solicitor.
During my recent attendance at the Irish Hospital Consultants Association annual conference I assured members that arising out of the situation with the Medical Defence Union and cover for historic liabilities of consultants, in particular obstetric claims, no Irish person who has suffered from a medical mishap would be left without compensation and no consultant would be left without cover in all reasonable circumstances and in accordance with law. This is the principle guiding the Governments' approach to the MDU's entirely unjustified withdrawal of cover for obstetricians for liabilities before 1 February 2004.
