Vol. 452 No. 5
3 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of people who are currently suing him and his Department for various reasons; the names and addresses of these people; and the amount claimed in each case. [8268/95]
Arising from the delay in implementing EC Directive 79/7 on Equal Treatment, proceedings are being taken in some 475 cases involving about 16,000 plaintiffs. Judicial review proceedings relating to other aspects of the social welfare code are being taken in ten other cases. It is not possible to provide information on the amounts of money claimed in these proceedings as, in most instances, the plaintiffs are seeking a series of declarations, orders and damages.
In addition, the Department currently has 15 claims on hands from people who are seeking compensation in respect of injury and/or damage. No specific amount has been claimed in any of these cases. Expenditure, including legal costs, on such compensation amounted to £26,000 in 1994.
It is not considered appropriate to disclose the names and addresses of the people involved in these claims.
While I agree that payments of small sums of money should not be made public, it was the view of Democratic Left when in Opposition that all public moneys paid out should be made known. It is necessary to make the general public aware that compensation of certain amounts has been paid to people who have taken the State to court.
I think the Deputy misunderstood what I said. I said it is not considered appropriate to disclose the names and addresses of the people involved in these claims. There is a question of privacy involved and there may also be questions of agreements on confidentiality which have been approved by the court. The equal treatment claims will amount to approximately £260 million and I have already indicated how that money will be paid — approximately £200 million by the end of December this year and the remaining £60 million over the following 18 months. Approximately 75 per cent of the moneys due will be paid this year to women who have been waiting for more than a decade for equal treatment in relation to social welfare.
Expenditure, including legal costs on compensation claims, since 1990 is as follows: in 1990 there were five cases at a cost of £167,011; in 1991 there were two cases at a cost of £12,674; in 1992 there were eight cases at a cost of £26,103; in 1993 there were 13 cases at a cost of £205,402 and in 1994 two cases at a cost of £26,000. The figure for 1994 includes legal costs for three earlier settlements. This expenditure relates to compensation claims and not to the equality equal treatment issue to which I referred earlier.
I was not referring specifically to the cases to which the Minister referred, but I would appreciate if he would include that information with the reply.
I will do that.
