Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 May 2005
86 Ms Burton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the position in regard to negotiations with hospital consultants regarding the indemnity scheme; if the Government is planning legal action against the Medical Defence Union in regard to historic liabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15310/05]
View answerDiscussions are continuing with the Irish Medical Organisation and the Irish Hospital Consultants Association on some residual issues concerning the clinical indemnity scheme. I am confident that these will be resolved in the near future. Earlier this year the Government indicated that it would consider supporting individual consultants who had been left without cover by the Medical Defence Union in challenging these decisions by the MDU. I recently instructed the Chief State Solicitor's office to apply to the High Court for an order joining the MDU as a third party in proceedings between a health board and a former consultant member of the MDU where the MDU had withdrawn assistance. The court granted the order sought and formal notice of this has now been served on the MDU.
