Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 May 2004
48 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding his discussions with the Irish Hospital Consultants Association regarding the proposed new system of medical insurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15606/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI continue to have regular meetings with the Irish Hospital Consultants Association and the Irish Medical Organisation to keep them informed of progress in my Department's discussions with the Medical Defence Union on efforts to resolve the issue of historic liabilities not covered by the clinical indemnity scheme.
The Irish Hospital Consultants Association has been supportive of the Government's position that these liabilities are, in the first instance, the responsibility of the Medical Defence Union. Irish hospital consultants have paid millions of euro to the MDU over many decades. The Exchequer ultimately funded much of this through reimbursement arrangements for consultants employed in public hospitals. Individual doctors and the Government have a legitimate expectation that the MDU will meet its liabilities arising from those years.
I have made it clear to the MDU on several occasions that the Government is prepared to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure that Irish doctors and patients are not treated in a discriminatory fashion by the MDU.
