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Tribunals of Inquiry

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 May 2021

Wednesday, 5 May 2021

Questions (591)

Alan Kelly

Question:

591. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health the amount the CervicalCheck Tribunal has cost to date. [22967/21]

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Written answers

The CervicalCheck Tribunal is based in the Infinity Building in Smithfield in office space that has been fitted out to meet the Tribunal’s requirements including:

- Three hearing rooms

- A counter and reception area

- Consultation rooms and a larger meeting room that can be used by claimants and their legal representatives

- Comfortable private rooms for use by claimants when they are not in hearings.

- Offices for Tribunal staff

- Chambers for the Tribunal Members

The amount expended on the fit out for the Tribunal by the Office of Public Works (OPW) to date is €1,627,645. This includes construction fit-out costs, consultants fees, vat and per cent for art allowance. As this was a ‘first use’ fit out, a significant portion of this expenditure would have been required irrespective of the usage to which the accommodation was put.

The building occupied by the Tribunal is leased by the OPW on a long-term basis. A pro-rata allocation of the leasehold cost entails a spend of €303,144 per annum to provide accommodation for the Tribunal. A further €112,315 per annum is spent on service charges.

The amount paid by my department in respect of the set up and operation of the Tribunal to the end of March 2021 is €246,587. This amount is provisional and includes one off set up costs that are in addition to the fit out costs referred to above, as well as ongoing costs for the operation of the Tribunal. The CervicalCheck Tribunal Act 2019 (the 2019 Act) requires the Tribunal to submit a report to me in respect of its activities during each financial year. This report must include particulars of its accounts. Under the 2019 Act I am required to determine the remuneration of Tribunal Members other than those who are serving judges of the Superior Courts. I can confirm that the ordinary member of the Tribunal who is a retired judge of the Court of Appeal is paid at the rate of remuneration currently applicable to a judge of that Court. The cost of staffing the Tribunal to the end of March 2021, including both set up and operational costs post establishment, has been €277,176. This figure includes employer’s PRSI.

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