Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 8 Jun 1995

Vol. 454 No. 2

Written Answers. - Ex-Gratia Payments.

Mary Harney

Question:

10 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Justice the number of times the State and her Department has made ex-gratia payments to an individual or group of individuals who claimed that the State had a liability to them arising from the failure of an organ of the State or any of its agencies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10411/95]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

First of all I would point out that my responsibility in this regard refers to my Department only and not to other Government Departments.

The general position aboutex-gratia payments made from official funds is that details of these payments are contained in the Appropriation Accounts volume for the year in which they are made in any case where the sum paid exceeded an amount of £5,000. Ex-gratia payments for smaller amounts also arise on foot of a range of incidents such as minor accidents on Government premises involving torn clothing, personal property stolen-damaged on duty etc., but under current procedures these are not required to be itemised in the Notes to Appropriation Accounts. However, the numbers and the costs involved in these claims would be small. As regards admission of liability in relation to any ex-gratia payment, I should point out that where a payment is expressed to be ex-gratia, no admission of liability, by or on behalf of my Department, is made. Payments made under the Scheme of Compensation for Personal Injuries Criminally Inflicted are also made ex-gratia following deliberation by a duly appointed Tribunal.

However, I do not think any of these types ofex-gratia payments are the type of ex-gratia payment which the Deputy has in mind and, if this is the case, I can inform the Deputy that, apart from those ex-gratia payments already referred to, my Department has not made any ex-gratia payments arising out of the failure of an organ of the State or its agencies.