Personal injury awards reform
Deputy Micheál Martin highlighted soaring insurance claims and said councils and consumers were being penalised by a compensation culture. The Minister of State said the judicial council’s personal injury committee could be formed informally and work could be completed by year-end if there was willingness.
In the media this morning, specifically the Irish Daily Mail, it is outlined that the number of active insurance claims against Dublin City Council has increased by approximately 820% in the past two years. I refer to claims following slips and trips. As the Taoiseach knows, such claims may relate to injuries due to potholes in footpaths and so on. The number of such claims is rising dramatically across the country. It is clear from the statistics that a compensation culture is rife. Councils have been penalised, insurance costs are far too high and the Alliance for Insurance Reform is concerned that motorists, businesses and community groups will continue to be under huge strain unless moves are made to recalibrate injury awards. As the Taoiseach knows, the Judicial Council Act has been passed, but the Minister for Justice and Equality has yet to commence a key section that would provide for the setting of new guidelines by the judges-----
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-----for personal injury awards. Can the Taoiseach give an indication as to when the relevant section will be commenced?
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The issue is that a request has been made to the Chief Justice in respect of this matter stating that there is no reason the personal injury committee within the judicial council cannot be formed in an informal manner and act in parallel with the establishment of the judicial council to recalibrate the awards in the five primary areas, which would account for approximately 75% of personal injury claims. This can be done by the end of the year if there is a willingness to do it.