The Tánaiste and Minister for Health, Ms Harney, has said the Government will put in place a meachanism to pay back charges to patients owed money as a result of today's Supreme Court ruling.
She said the Government would have to figure out how they set about paying the money back "because it goes back a long number of years" and they need to establish who the individuals are.
Ms Harney said there was "no question of making people fight for their money back".
Speaking on RTÉ radio after this morning's ruling, Ms Harney added that it was today's taxpayers who were going to have to fund the repayments. It is estimated the bill could run to €500 million for the period from 1999 to now. The Statute of Limitations takes effect on charges before this.
Ms Harney welcomed the ruling saying: "The good thing is very early on we now have legal clarity".
