State Claims Agency reports 80% rise in maternity-related claims

The cost to the State of maternity-related claims has increased by 80% from €32m to €58m between 2010 and 2014.

The State Claims Agency has published a major review of Irish maternity and gynaecology services, which finds that incident rates in Irish hospitals are similar to international figures.

75 out of almost 10,000 clinical incidents reported last year were rated as extreme in severity, but some of these related to unavoidable natural events.

The National Incident Management System was set up last year in the wake of the Savita Halappanavar case.