Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 31 Jan 1995

Vol. 448 No. 3

Written Answers. - Negligence and Nuisance Claims.

Pat Upton

Question:

155 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social Welfare in respect of claims for negligence and nuisance against his Department for each year since 1990, the total number of claims made; the total number of claims settled; the total amount of money paid in settlements; the total amount of money paid in legal costs arising from the settlements; the total number of claims outstanding at present; and the estimated cost of these claims. [2095/95]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The information requested by the Deputy in respect of claims for negligence received by the Department since 1990 is as follows:

Year	Claims Made	Settled	Cost	Legal Expenses
1990	5	—	—	—
1991	9	1	£5,224	£2,450
1992	6	4	£6,680	£2,150
1993	5	4	£12,025	£6,263
1994	4	1	£6,500	£2,726
1995 to date	—	3	£32,500	— *

* The legal expenses for the claims settled to date in 1995 have yet to be determined.

There were no claims for nuisance.

The above figures do not include the costs of claims which were made prior to 1990 but which were settled in subsequent years. The total number of claims involved was 16 and the total cost of settlements was £456,895, of which £89,422 was for legal costs.

Currently, the Department has 16 claims on hands which have not yet been finalised. It is not possible at this stage to estimate accurately the likely final costs.