When the claims office was set up, it worked differently from what was initially envisaged. The claims manager had been involved in the formulation of policy in consultation with the Attorney General and the Department of Defence. However, the size of the claims and the level of the settlements were too high at the time so it was decided that it was not appropriate to engage in full scale settlement discussions or to set up a compensation board. The development has now moved in a different way and the claims are being negotiated on the basis of a number of cases, particularly the Hanley case.
At present, discussions are taking place with the main solicitors on behalf of the plaintiffs and the Department of Defence. All cases have been adjourned in the courts in this session and it is the intention to facilitate settlement discussions based on the Hanley case. I do not have the exact number of claims but I believe it is several thousand.