Section 2 of the Malicious Injuries Acts 1981 and 1986 provides for recoupment of costs to local authorities in relation to malicious injury claims taken against them. Specifically, the Acts provide for full recoupment to local authorities in respect of expenditure where damage, the aggregate amount of which exceeds €127, is caused to any property;
(i) unlawfully by one or more of a number (exceeding two) of persons riotously assembled together, or
(ii) as a result of an act committed maliciously on behalf of an unlawful organisation, or
(iii) as a result of an act committed maliciously by a person, acting on behalf of an organisation outside the State, that engages in, or advocates the use of violence, for purposes related to the administration of the State of Northern Ireland.
These recoupments are made through my Department. Over the last 5 years, the following payments have been made:
-
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
Total Expenditure
|
€260,479
|
€82,096
|
€322,939
|
€175,872
|
**€388,936
|
Of which concerns ATM theft and related costs
|
€257,863
|
€0
|
€0
|
€0
|
**€202,849
|
** the 2018 figures do not include the plaintiff's legal costs, which have yet to be settled.