Minister for Health Mary Harney has supported a Bill which will make medical insurance compulsory for all practising doctors.
The Medical Practitioners (Professional Indemnity) (Amendment) Bill 2009 was brought before the Dáil yesterday evening.
The Bill will make it an offence for practicing doctors to practise without indemnity cover. It also provides that the Irish Medical Council will have the power to set appropriate levels of cover to be held by different classes of practitioner.
Furthermore written evidence of the appropriate cover being in place must be produced to the IMO before they can issue a certificate to practise. Fine Gael Health spokesperson, Dr James Reilly welcomed the move.
“The Bill that I have tabled is designed to address the present situation in Ireland where a doctor could practise without the appropriate medical negligence insurance leaving an aggrieved or injured patient with no comeback for compensation,” he said.