Solicitor calls for period payments to be linked to wage inflation

Solicitor calls for period payments to be linked to wage inflation

David O'Malley

A solicitor has called for period payment order (PPO) legislation to be revised to link payments to wage inflation rather than consumer prices.

David O’Malley, a partner at Callan Tansey Solicitors, made the call outside the High Court after judges approved a third interim payment to his client Ruby McCandless a 16-year-old girl who requires lifelong care for dyskinetic cerebral palsy, RTÉ News reports.

She has been awarded interim payments of €1.45 million in 2014, a further €1 million in 2018, and €1.59 million in the most recent case.

Mr O’Malley said the legislation as it currently stands is “forcing families to come back to court every few years”.

He added: “I implore [justice minister Helen] McEntee to immediately remedy this unworkable legislation to ensure certainty moving forward for all catastrophically injured children.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice told RTÉ that legislation would be brought forward to allow the justice minister to set the indexation rate.

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