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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 16 Oct 1991

Vol. 411 No. 1

Written Answers. - Compensation to Civil Servants for Assaults.

Seán Ryan

Question:

184 Mr. Ryan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider the introduction of a formal scheme of compensation for civil servants who are assaulted in the course of the performance of their official duties along the lines of the schemes applied to the Garda Síochána and prison service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

It is not proposed to introduce a formal scheme of compensation for civil servants who are assaulted in the course of their official duties. However, any cases of serious assault on civil servants in the course of their official duties are dealt with on an ad hoc basis.

Seán Ryan

Question:

185 Mr. Ryan asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline (a) the number of claims made in the last five years by civil servants, excluding the prison service, for compensation in respect of assaults suffered by them in the course of the performance of their official duties, (b) the number of cases in which compensation was paid in that period (c) the level of compensation paid in each case where such payments were made in the period in question with a breakdown to show the extent of compensation to cover such matters as medical and other expenses and on the other hand to compensate for the pain and suffering of the people involved and (d) the criteria used to determine the level of compensation paid in respect of the pain and suffering of the civil servants concerned.

As a number of major departments have delegated authority to reimburse members of the staff who incur medical expenses as a result of their being assaulted in the course of their official duties, comprehensive information on (a), (b) and (c) is not available in my Department. In regard to (d), I am aware of only one case over the last 5 years in which payment was made to compensate for factors other than medical or other expenses and in that case the level of compensation was determined on the advice of the Attorney General.

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