The State Claims Agency (SCA) has a statutory remit to manage personal injury claims, including claims in respect of clinical negligence, on behalf of Delegated State Authorities (DSAs) including the Health Service Executive. The SCA’s claims management objective is, while acting in the best interest of taxpayers in matters of personal injury and property damage litigation, to act fairly, ethically and compassionately in its dealings with people who have suffered injuries and/or damage and who take legal actions against the State or State bodies, and their families. In cases where the SCA investigation concludes that the relevant State authority bears some or all liability, it seeks to settle claims expeditiously and on fair and reasonable terms, while seeking to in no way exacerbate the suffering of those citizens. If it considers that the State is not liable, the SCA’s policy is to defend the claims.
Individual cases are managed by teams of claims managers within the SCA. The Director of the State Claims Agency (SCA), Ciaran Breen, has oversight of all functions within the SCA.
The State Claims Agency’s mandate for managing personal injury claims on behalf of DSAs is established in legislation. When managing cases on behalf of DSAs, the State Claims Agency (SCA) engages with DSAs to carry out investigations and to establish the facts of the cases. The SCA engages with DSAs on an on-going basis in this respect. The SCA is statutorily mandated to determine the claims management strategy on the claims it manages on behalf of DSAs. The SCA engages with DSA’s throughout a case. The SCA provides regular information to DSA’s in respect of their claims’ portfolios.
