Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 March 2018
255. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation her views on a revised book of quantum whereby modest injuries attract modest damages, while more severe injuries receive damages of a level appropriate to the injury and loss of earnings suffered; and her views on the UK system of care not cash for minor bodily injuries. [14923/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) is an independent statutory agency and I, as Minister, am not permitted in my executive function to interfere in any way with the day to day operations and functions of PIAB.
Section 54 of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003 sets out the principal functions of the Board. Section 54(1)(b) states: ‘to prepare and publish a document (which shall be known as the ‘‘Book of Quantum’’) containing general guidelines as to the amounts that may be awarded or assessed in respect of specified types of injury’
The revised Book of Quantum was published in October 2016. The Book was compiled by independent consultants and commissioned by the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB).
The Book is not a recommendation for compensation levels but rather a reflection of the prevailing level of awards, i.e.:
- compensation values awarded by the courts
- settlements agreed by the Insurance Industry
- settlements agreed by the State Claims Agency; and
- settlements agreed through the PIAB process.
The establishment of the Personal Injuries Commission was one of the key recommendations in the Cost of Insurance Working Group Report on the Cost of Motor Insurance published in January 2017 by the then Minister for Finance, Mr Michael Noonan T.D., and the then Minister of State for Financial Services, Mr Eoghan Murphy T.D. The Report sets out the terms of reference for the Personal Injuries Commission. The Commission as part of its second Report has been asked to report on care not cash models. It is anticipated that this Report will be published in Q2 of 2018.
