Jim Higgins
Question:151 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the total legal costs for her Department in dealing with personal injury claims for each of the years from 1990 to 1997. [18483/98]
Written Answers. - Personal Injury Claims.
It should be noted that my Department does not have direct legal costs as these are charged against the Chief State Solicitor's Office which acts as our legal representative.
However, settlements made by my Department in relation to personal injury claims included legal costs in the amounts of £2,037; £9,513.94 and £5,006 paid in 1994, 1995 and 1997 respectively.
The legal costs of £5,006 were paid in respect of a case, which was inadvertently omitted from my reply to Question No. 18187/98 last week, where a member of the public claimed against the Department when a staff member of the Geological Survey of Ireland ran into the back of her car in an official vehicle. A settlement was agreed and payment in the amount of £14,006 was made in 1997, £1,500 being damages to her car, £7,500 for personal injuries and £5,006 legal costs.
I regret this omission from last week's reply.