The Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal is now projected to cost £335 million after a recent rise in the average awards to claimants, the Dail Committee on Public Accounts was told yesterday.
Committee members heard that the estimated cost, which they received from the Department of Health, at the end of March has had to be revised upwards by £15 million.
The committee was also told that new rules of court enabling claimants to appeal decisions of the tribunal to the High Court should be finalised in a matter of weeks. The High Court heard on Monday that 13 applicants wished to appeal.
Mr Jerry O'Dwyer, secretary-general of the Department of Health and Children, said 1,811 claims had been made to the tribunal to date and awards totalling £103 million made in 759 cases, making an average of £135,186 per claimant.
With legal costs running at an average of just over £20,000 per case, the overall cost of the tribunal including administration was now projected to come to £335 million.
Mr Sean Ardagh TD (FF) said there had been an increase in the level of awards since Mr O'Dwyer had last supplied figures to the committee on March 28th. The average award in the 45 cases dealt with since then had been £220,000. Mr O'Dwyer said that in any cluster of 50 cases one might get a different average figure.
The chairwoman of Positive Action, Ms Jane O'Brien, said the tribunal was working satisfactorily. Individual women retained the right to go to the High Court or the tribunal, and to date the majority had chosen the tribunal route to have their claims assessed. But the appeal process from the tribunal to the High Court had yet to be finalised.
Mr O'Dwyer said the Department was awaiting legal advice on this issue. "We would be hopeful . . . the decision would be made in a matter of weeks, but I can't be more definite than that at this stage."
