Carol Nolan Calls for reform as medical negligence liabilities exceed €3.68 Billion since 2010

Independent TD for Offaly, Carol Nolan has expressed her serious concern over the latest figures revealed to her in a parliamentary reply that show the total cost of medical negligence claims in Ireland has now surpassed €3.68 billion since 2010.

Deputy Nolan said the costs highlight a “persistent failure by successive governments to implement meaningful reforms that would curb these escalating liabilities.”

The Offaly TD had previously established in February 2024 that the costs from 2010-2023 were just over €3,04 billion.

Since then, the costs have continued to balloon with the 2024 bill for the health service coming in at over €305million, while the costs for 2025 rose further still to €319million. The reply also reveals that the medical negligence costs for January 2026 is already at €16.9million.

Commenting on the information, Deputy Nolan said:

“The updated total of €3,682,919,161 underscores the ongoing burden on public finances, with no evidence that current measures are effective in reducing either the volume or the duration of claims.”

“Despite repeated commitments to address the issue, the system remains inefficient and protracted, prolonging distress for patients and healthcare professionals alike.”

“In fact we know from a policy report published by the Medical Protection Society (MPS) in January 2023 that claims against its members in Ireland take significantly longer to resolve than in comparable jurisdictions.”

“The average clinical negligence claim in Ireland takes 1,462 days to conclude. That is 14% longer than in South Africa (1,279 days) and 56% longer than in Hong Kong (940 days), the UK (939 days) and Singapore (938 days).”

Deputy Nolan stated: “The fact that medical negligence liabilities have now reached €3.68 billion is a damning indictment of successive government inaction. Patients and healthcare professionals continue to endure a drawn-out process that is longer and more expensive than in most other jurisdictions.”

“Recommendations for pre-action protocols, first put forward over a decade ago, apparently remain unimplemented or ineffectual. This inaction is unacceptable, and it must end.”

“The Government needs to prioritise reforms that will deliver faster resolutions, lower costs and fairer outcomes without further delay.”

Deputy Nolan reiterated her call for the immediate introduction of targeted measures to address the underlying issues driving these claims.

ENDS

Note to Editor: PQ https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2026-02-04/972/#pq_972

PQ February 2024 Personal Injury Claims – Thursday, 22 Feb 2024 – Parliamentary Questions (33rd Dáil) – Houses of the Oireachtas