Monica Barnes
Ceist:44 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Defence the number of new claims received in each of the months from March to June 1999 for deafness compensation in the Defence Forces. [16591/99]
Written Answers. - Hearing Impairment Claims.
Pat Rabbitte
Ceist:76 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Defence the number of new Army deafness cases submitted to his Department since January 1999. [16661/99]
Ivor Callely
Ceist:91 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Defence the cost to date of Army hearing loss compensation claims; the provision, if any, he has made to cover the total costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16313/99]
Frances Fitzgerald
Ceist:100 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the number of new claims received in each of the months from March to June 1999 in relation to deafness compensation in the Defence Forces. [16810/99]
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:115 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the number of Army deafness compensation claims already settled; the cost in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16954/99]
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:116 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the number of Army deafness claims pending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16955/99]
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:117 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the projected costs of Army deafness compensation claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16956/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 76, 91, 100, 115, 116 and 117 together.
By 25 June 1999 the total cost of awards, settlements and plaintiffs' legal costs paid by my Department in Army hearing loss claims was £83 million. A sum of £2.8 million has been paid in respect of 176 court awards, while out of court settlements in 3,215 cases have cost £61.3 million. Plaintiffs' legal costs amount to £18.9 million paid to date. A total of 10,768 claims remain outstanding.
Given the current and potential scale of the problem, allied to the complex legal and medical variables, it is difficult to be precise about the future cost. In addition, cost projections are based on the scale of damages laid down by the High Court in the case of Hanley v. Minister for Defence. Following that judgment, my Department estimated that the total cost of claims outstanding at that time would be of the order of £550 million, excluding legal costs. The Supreme Court appeal in the Hanley case will be heard in the Supreme Court tomorrow, 1 July 1999 and the main issue of the appeal is the scale of damages.
Details concerning the number of hearing loss claims received for each month this year is contained in the tabular statement which will be circulated with the official report.
|
Month |
Number of Hearing Loss Claims Received |
|
January 1999 |
100.00 |
|
February 1999 |
99.00 |
|
March 1999 |
63.00 |
|
April 1999 |
128.00 |
|
May 1999 |
76.00 |
|
June 1999 (Up to 25th) |
110.00 |