Ongoing disputes with the judiciary regarding how best to compensate plaintiffs is likely to “have unwelcome consequences”, according to the head of the State's Claims Agency. Addressing the agency’s annual conference on clinical risk and patient safety in Dublin, Mr Breen acknowledged that “others may not necessarily agree”. Mr Breen said that clinical negligence cases “represent a very significant economic challenge for the State”. He argued that the present tort-based system by which clinical negligence cases are resolved is “not fit for purpose”. A better tort system is in everyone’s interest and, I am sure, would be welcomed by people who have suffered as a result of clinical negligence and by their families.

Source: Irish Examiner November 19, 2019 18:11 UTC