Current medical negligence claims are set to cost the State more than €2bn.
The State Claims Agency has told the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee that there are 113 cases which will cost more than €10m each to settle.
PAC Chairman, Seán Fleming, said the cause of the high pay-outs needs to be investigated as that money could be used to improve other aspects of the health sector.
He said: "Those 113 cases are estimated to cost Irish taxpayers approximately €1.4bn, which is an average of €12.8m each.
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"They are massive, staggering figures and we know some of the cases are very catastrophic, there are life-long issues to be dealt with, and some of the cases are going to be very high."
- Of the 113 serious cases that will cost €10m-plus to settle:
- 10 are in Dublin/North East Hospital Group
- 17 are in Dublin/Midlands Hospital Group
- 10 are in Ireland East Hospital Group
- 22 are in South/South-West Hospital Group
- 29 are in Saolta West/North West Hospital Group
- 14 are in Midwest Hospital Group
- Five are in the Children's Hospital Group
