€500m liability - Staggering MRSA warning

AS health, education and capital programme cuts start to have an impact the news that the Government may be vulnerable to compensation claims from MRSA victims will send a shiver down the spine of ministers who know the real cost of the army deafness claims, the Residential Institutions Redress Board, blood and hep C claims.

Though only an estimate a liability of €500 million has been suggested by the State Claims Agency. The agency is aware of a legal firm that is building up a class action-type lawsuit on MRSA. We find ourselves in this situation because we do not clean our hospitals properly or wash our hands as we should. Will we ever learn?