Denis Naughten
Question:258. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when a matter (details supplied) will be finalised; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47972/18]
View answerTuesday, 20 November 2018
Questions (258)
Written answers
As the Deputy will be aware the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal, which has responsibility for the administration of the Scheme of Compensation for Personal Injuries Criminally Inflicted on Prison Officer, is independent of my Department in the processing of individual applications under the Scheme.
I can inform the Deputy that applications in the first instance are decided on a file of papers submitted to a single Tribunal Member for consideration as to whether payment of compensation is appropriate. Each case is addressed on the basis of its individual circumstances. While applications are processed with the minimum of formality compared to court proceedings, in making their decisions Tribunal members must be satisfied that all supporting documentation submitted is in order e.g. Garda reports arising from the related criminal investigation, vouched receipts for expenses, medical reports. Accordingly, the processing time for each case can vary considerably.
I understand that the Tribunal wrote to the applicant's solicitor on 23 August 2018 providing them with an update on the case.