An Garda Síochána

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 October 2022

Thursday, 20 October 2022

Ceisteanna (308, 309)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

308. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the extent to which gardaí injured in the course of their duties are being compensated or are in course thereof; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52661/22]

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

309. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice the number of gardaí injured during the course of their duties in the past ten years; if all have received compensation for their injuries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52662/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice

I propose to take Questions Nos. 308 and 309 together.

I have asked An Garda Síochána for the information requested by the Deputy, and I will contact him again when this is to hand.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 308 and 309 of 20 October 2022 where you sought

“the extent to which gardaí injured in the course of their duties are being compensated or are in course thereof”

and

“the number of gardaí injured during the course of their duties in the past ten years; if all have received compensation for their injuries”

As you will be aware, under the Garda Síochána (Compensation) Acts, 1941 and 1945 I, as Minister, have the responsibility to approve or refuse applications for compensation to be put forward to the High Court, having regard to the circumstances of the case and the legislation. The Acts provide for a scheme of compensation for members of An Garda Síochána who are maliciously injured in the course of their duty or in relation to the performance of their duties as members of An Garda Síochána and for the dependants of members who have died from injuries maliciously inflicted on them.

The number of applications under the Garda Compensation Scheme, received and refused by the Department each year from 2012 – 30 Sept 2022 are detailed in the table below.

The number of cases settled in the High Court and awards paid each year from 2012 – 30 Sept 2022 are also detailed. It is worth noting that in very exceptional cases a case would be settled in the High Court in the same year that the application was received. The table also lists the costs paid for each of the same years. The legal costs paid in a particular year do not necessarily relate to awards made in the same year as these are usually decided at a later stage.

Table 1 below sets out the number of applications received by my Department under the Garda Síochána Compensation Acts 1941 and 1945.

 

Table 1: Garda Compensation Acts 1941-1945

Garda Compensation Acts 1941-1945	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022*	Total
Number of applications received annually	173	205	176	193	208	176	163	156	136	147	89	1,822
Number of cases refused annually	11	3	16	9	45	24	30	5	10	10	5	168
Number of cases settled in the High Court	158	170	159	93	66	111	126	92	46	108	103	1,232
Awards Paid €m	7.1	6	4	3.6	4.7	5.8	4.6	4	2.7	6.6	4.5	53.6
Costs Paid €m	2.2	2.4	2.2	1.3	1.6	2	1.8	1.4	1.7	1.2	1.9	19.7

*Up to 30 September 2022

 

I also made enquiries with the Garda authorities in respect of the number of Garda members who were injured on duty in the past ten years, from 18 October 2012 to 18 October 2022.  I am advised by the Garda authorities that, a total of 5,891 Garda members were injured on duty during this time.  However, it is worth noting, not all injuries are maliciously inflicted and that Gardaí can also get injured by way of accidents, such as a fall etc.  It is also worth noting that not every member who is injured will pursue a claim.

I am further advised that the costs in respect of the monies paid out to Gardaí injured in the normal course of their duty (not maliciously inflicted so wouldn’t have been paid out of the Garda Compensation Scheme) for the last ten years are as follows:

2013	€136,703
2014	€130,251
2015	€96,337
2016	€127,087
2017	€102,682
2018	€111,188
2019	€92,606
2020	€180,816
2021	€182,658
Up to 29 November 2022*	€63,140

I hope this information is of assistance.

Question No. 309 answered with Question No. 308.