Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill, 1996

Public bill · Government · Presented

The Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill, 1996 would widen the people who can seek compensation when someone dies because of another person’s wrongful act. It would allow a cohabiting partner who had lived with the deceased for at least three years, and a former spouse whose foreign divorce is recognised in Ireland, to claim certain losses; cohabitants could also claim for emotional distress, while former spouses could not. The maximum compensation for emotional distress would rise from £7,500 to £15,000, with future increases possible by ministerial order. The changes would also apply to equivalent claims arising from air travel, but only where the death occurred after the law took effect.

Formal long title

Bill entitled an Act to amend the law relating to civil liability

Last updated 17 January 2024