{ "schema_version": 1, "promise": { "promise_id": "prom_15", "statement": "Consider the establishment of a dedicated medical negligence court", "actor": "Irish Government", "party": "Coalition Government (Fianna Fáil / Fine Gael)", "office": null, "candidate_version_id": null, "topic": "health", "status": "insufficient_evidence", "confidence": null, "evidence_count": 12, "counter_evidence_count": 0, "source_ids": [ "https://www.britannica.com/question/How-did-Micheal-Martin-become-taoiseach", "https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/press-releases/minister-donnelly-welcomes-the-abolition-of-public-hospital-in-patient-charges/", "https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migration/press-releases/minister-for-justice-home-affairs-and-migration-jim-ocallaghan-turns-the-sod-on-second-phase-of-castlerea-prison-development/", "https://www.iprt.ie/iprt-in-the-news/building-more-prisons-is-not-the-answer-to-overcrowding-the-irish-penal-reform-trust-outlines-a-more-progressive-and-cost/", "https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/06/04/provision-of-almost-1000-extra-prison-places-to-be-fast-tracked/", "https://www.laois-nationalist.ie/could-we-have-a-new-taoiseach-in-2026_arid-82419.html", "https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=ed505e24-5f03-4348-b9f2-11a913e6d61f", "https://www.mhc.ie/latest/insights/healthcare-litigation-reform", "https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0113/1552847-prisons-ireland/", "https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2026/0314/1563377-taoiseach-us-visit/", "src_search_20260410T0531" ], "promise_href": "promises/prom_15.html", "evidence_pack_href": "api/evidence_packs/prom_15.json" }, "evidence": [ { "schema_version": 1, "id": "prom_15_ev_0", "promise_id": "prom_15", "source_id": "https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migration/press-releases/minister-for-justice-home-affairs-and-migration-jim-ocallaghan-turns-the-sod-on-second-phase-of-castlerea-prison-development/", "evidence_kind": "budget_allocation", "relation": "neutral", "description": "The Programme for Government commits to investing €495 million to deliver over 1,500 new prison spaces by 2031, described as the largest prison building programme in the history of the State. Since 2024, 232 spaces have been constructed (126 in 2024, 106 in 2025).", "event_date": "2025-01-15", "recorded_at": "2026-04-10T06:02:15Z", "sequence": 1, "removed": false, "candidate_version_id": null, "jurisdiction_id": "ireland", "election_cycle_id": null }, { "schema_version": 1, "id": "prom_15_ev_1", "promise_id": "prom_15", "source_id": "https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/06/04/provision-of-almost-1000-extra-prison-places-to-be-fast-tracked/", "evidence_kind": "action", "relation": "neutral", "description": "Almost 1,000 extra prison places are being fast-tracked as the overcrowding crisis worsens, with prisons at approximately 120% capacity.", "event_date": "2025-06-04", "recorded_at": "2026-04-10T06:02:15Z", "sequence": 2, "removed": false, "candidate_version_id": null, "jurisdiction_id": "ireland", "election_cycle_id": null }, { "schema_version": 1, "id": "prom_15_ev_10", "promise_id": "prom_15", "source_id": "https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/press-releases/minister-donnelly-welcomes-the-abolition-of-public-hospital-in-patient-charges/", "evidence_kind": "outcome", "relation": "neutral", "description": "Ireland abolished public in-patient hospital charges through the Health (Amendment) Act 2023, effective from 17 April 2023. This eliminated the €80/day charge (capped at €800/year) for all public patients in public hospitals.", "event_date": "2023-04-17", "recorded_at": "2026-04-10T12:40:28Z", "sequence": 11, "removed": false, "candidate_version_id": null, "jurisdiction_id": "ireland", "election_cycle_id": null }, { "schema_version": 1, "id": "prom_15_ev_2", "promise_id": "prom_15", "source_id": "https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migration/press-releases/minister-for-justice-home-affairs-and-migration-jim-ocallaghan-turns-the-sod-on-second-phase-of-castlerea-prison-development/", "evidence_kind": "action", "relation": "neutral", "description": "Minister Jim O'Callaghan turned the sod on the second phase of Castlerea Prison development on 24 April 2026. Phase 1 delivered 24 spaces; the full project will add 216 spaces at Castlerea. This is part of the broader 1,500-space programme.", "event_date": "2026-04-24", "recorded_at": "2026-04-10T06:02:15Z", "sequence": 3, "removed": false, "candidate_version_id": null, "jurisdiction_id": "ireland", "election_cycle_id": null }, { "schema_version": 1, "id": "prom_15_ev_3", "promise_id": "prom_15", "source_id": "https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0113/1552847-prisons-ireland/", "evidence_kind": "context", "relation": "neutral", "description": "Ireland's prisons are at approximately 120% capacity, with 5,747 people in prison against a capacity of 4,718, and over 600 inmates sleeping on mattresses on the floor. Overcrowding was described as 'inhuman' conditions at an Oireachtas committee.", "event_date": "2026-01-13", "recorded_at": "2026-04-10T06:02:15Z", "sequence": 4, "removed": false, "candidate_version_id": null, "jurisdiction_id": "ireland", "election_cycle_id": null }, { "schema_version": 1, "id": "prom_15_ev_36", "promise_id": "prom_15", "source_id": "https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=ed505e24-5f03-4348-b9f2-11a913e6d61f", "evidence_kind": "context", "relation": "neutral", "description": "The Programme for Government 2025 includes a commitment to establish a standalone dedicated medical negligence court, going beyond the existing Practice Directions to more permanent specialist judicial infrastructure. Legislative reform is expected in 2026.", "event_date": "2025-01-01", "recorded_at": "2026-04-10T12:32:56Z", "sequence": 37, "removed": false, "candidate_version_id": null, "jurisdiction_id": "ireland", "election_cycle_id": null }, { "schema_version": 1, "id": "prom_15_ev_37", "promise_id": "prom_15", "source_id": "https://www.mhc.ie/latest/insights/healthcare-litigation-reform", "evidence_kind": "action", "relation": "neutral", "description": "Lower-value medical negligence claims may now be dealt with outside the High Court, reducing delays and expense, with legislative reform discussions ongoing.", "event_date": "2025-01-01", "recorded_at": "2026-04-10T12:32:56Z", "sequence": 38, "removed": false, "candidate_version_id": null, "jurisdiction_id": "ireland", "election_cycle_id": null }, { "schema_version": 1, "id": "prom_15_ev_4", "promise_id": "prom_15", "source_id": "https://www.iprt.ie/iprt-in-the-news/building-more-prisons-is-not-the-answer-to-overcrowding-the-irish-penal-reform-trust-outlines-a-more-progressive-and-cost/", "evidence_kind": "context", "relation": "neutral", "description": "The Irish Penal Reform Trust argues that building more prisons is not the answer to overcrowding and outlines a more progressive and cost-effective approach, countering the government's expansion plan.", "event_date": "2025-06-04", "recorded_at": "2026-04-10T06:02:15Z", "sequence": 5, "removed": false, "candidate_version_id": null, "jurisdiction_id": "ireland", "election_cycle_id": null }, { "schema_version": 1, "id": "prom_15_ev_5", "promise_id": "prom_15", "source_id": "https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2026/0314/1563377-taoiseach-us-visit/", "evidence_kind": "action", "relation": "neutral", "description": "As of early 2026, Taoiseach Martin is actively serving — undertaking official visits including a March 2026 trip to the United States and pre-presidency visits ahead of Ireland's EU Council Presidency starting July 2026.", "event_date": "2026-03-14", "recorded_at": "2026-04-10T06:21:38Z", "sequence": 6, "removed": false, "candidate_version_id": null, "jurisdiction_id": "ireland", "election_cycle_id": null }, { "schema_version": 1, "id": "prom_15_ev_6", "promise_id": "prom_15", "source_id": "https://www.laois-nationalist.ie/could-we-have-a-new-taoiseach-in-2026_arid-82419.html", "evidence_kind": "context", "relation": "neutral", "description": "Some Fianna Fáil figures have speculated Martin may hand over leadership early, possibly after the EU Presidency concludes in late 2026, though Martin has publicly committed to staying until November 2027.", "event_date": "2026-05-01", "recorded_at": "2026-04-10T06:21:38Z", "sequence": 7, "removed": false, "candidate_version_id": null, "jurisdiction_id": "ireland", "election_cycle_id": null }, { "schema_version": 1, "id": "prom_15_ev_7", "promise_id": "prom_15", "source_id": "https://www.britannica.com/question/How-did-Micheal-Martin-become-taoiseach", "evidence_kind": "context", "relation": "neutral", "description": "The rotating Taoiseach mechanism was first used in the 2020 coalition, where Martin served from June 2020 to December 2022 before rotating to Tánaiste while Leo Varadkar became Taoiseach.", "event_date": "2020-06-27", "recorded_at": "2026-04-10T06:21:38Z", "sequence": 8, "removed": false, "candidate_version_id": null, "jurisdiction_id": "ireland", "election_cycle_id": null }, { "schema_version": 1, "id": "prom_15_ev_9", "promise_id": "prom_15", "source_id": "https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/press-releases/minister-donnelly-welcomes-the-abolition-of-public-hospital-in-patient-charges/", "evidence_kind": "outcome", "relation": "neutral", "description": "The Health (Amendment) Act 2023 abolished the acute public in-patient charge of €80 per day (up to a maximum of €800/year). This was confirmed in an Oireachtas debate in October 2025.", "event_date": "2023-04-01", "recorded_at": "2026-04-10T07:27:38Z", "sequence": 10, "removed": false, "candidate_version_id": null, "jurisdiction_id": "ireland", "election_cycle_id": null } ], "sources": [], "public_rating": null, "corrections": [], "review_disclosures": [], "methodology": { "version": "hosted-preview", "generated_at": "2026-09-22T00:00:00Z", "evidence_quality_rules": [ "Every evidence event must reference a source record.", "Sources must have SHA-256 content hashes.", "Counter-evidence must be tracked alongside supporting evidence.", "Removed evidence is flagged, not deleted." ], "review_thresholds": { "evidence_required": 1, "promise_required": 2, "rating_required": 2, "statement_required": 1, "outcome_required": 1, "reviewer_pool_size": 3, "institutional_key_counts_as": 2 }, "correction_policy": [ "Corrections are append-only; original records are never deleted.", "Right-of-reply submissions are tracked separately from editorial corrections.", "Correction chains can be replayed in sequence order." ], "rating_categories": [ "unrated", "insufficient_evidence", "not_yet_due", "in_progress", "at_risk", "kept", "mostly_kept", "broken", "compromised", "abandoned", "too_vague", "no_authority", "blocked_external" ], "release_signature_note": "Release manifests include SHA-256 hashes over all record types. Tamper detection verifies content integrity.", "known_limitations": [ "This project does not verify the political truth of claims; it tracks evidence and ratings.", "Anonymous source submission is explicitly out of scope.", "This is not voting advice and does not tell people who to vote for." ] } }