Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 June 2018
107. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of claims being brought to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal each year; the number of claims settled in each year and to date in 2018; the average length of time taken to settle each claim; the number of claims over five years still waiting to be resolved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25982/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal administers the Scheme of Compensation for Personal Injuries Criminally Inflicted (General Scheme). Under the terms of the Scheme, the Tribunal is entirely independent in the matter of individual decisions on applications for compensation.
The information requested is provided in the following table.
|
Year |
Number of Applications Received |
Number of Cases in which Payments Made |
|
2012 |
191 |
144 |
|
2013 |
228 |
105 |
|
2014 |
257 |
75 |
|
2015 |
217 |
159 |
|
2016 |
210 |
73 |
|
2017 |
181 |
31 |
|
2018 (to 31 May) |
73 |
10 |
|
Total |
1,357 |
597 |
It is not possible to provide an average length of time to settle each claim as it varies depending on the circumstances of each case. While applications are processed with the minimum of formality compared to court proceedings where compensation is being claimed under the Civil Liability Acts, in making their decisions Tribunal Members must be satisfied that all supporting documentation submitted is in order. In some cases there can be delays pending the availability of all required documentation and some cases are complex in terms of medical conditions being assessed.
Because of the manner in which cases are recorded, in particular cases which are opened but not actively pursued by the applicant, it is not possible to provide the Deputy with the average length of time taken to bring cases to a conclusion and a composite figure for the number of cases actually requiring further deliberation is not readily available. I have asked that these matters are examined with a view to clarifying the position into the future.
