Public Accounts Committee to question State Claims Agency and HSE on implications of the Cervical Check revelations

The agenda for the meeting is as follows:

• Business of the Committee

• Matters related to State Claims, Management of Legal Costs and Open Disclosure (Implications of Cervical Check revelations) as relate to 2016 Financial Statements of the State Claims Agency and 2016 Financial Statements of the HSE

Speaking today, PAC Chairman, Seán Fleming TD, said, “The Public Accounts Committee will question the HSE on the expenditure incurred on the various cancer screening services in operation. The Committee is concerned that the HSE financial statements are not sufficiently clear in terms of how this expenditure is accounted for, i.e. where are the costs of the services captured, including the costs of outsourcing laboratory testing?”

“Ten cases similar to that brought by Ms Vicky Phelan are currently before the State Claims Agency (SCA). The PAC will question the SCA on why the associated legal costs per claim are five times greater than those for general claims, given that 98% of clinical claims are resolved without recourse to the courts. The SCA has also been criticised for the time taken to finalise claims and the consequent distress to claimants in respect of catastrophic birth related claims. Committee members are likely to seek details of initiatives the SCA has taken or proposes to take to address its procedures for processing and managing claims.”

The meeting will start at 9am in Committee Room 3, Leinster House.

Committee proceedings can be viewed live here