Compensation claims cost Dublin councils €60m in five years

Almost €60 million has been paid out by Dublin local authorities over the past five years in compensation claims for personal injury and damage to property.

More than half the money was claimed against Dublin City Council, the State’s largest local authority, which made in excess of €34 million in payments to the public from 2011-2015.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council had the next highest level of payment at €13 million, followed by Fingal County Council at €7 million. South Dublin County Council had the smallest costs, with just under €4.8 million paid in compensation claims.

Overall the annual cost of claims in Dublin rose from just over €10 million in 2011 to more than €13.5 million in 2015, an increase of one third.

In Dublin city the majority of claims related to injuries sustained on council property, mostly caused by trips and falls, with broken limbs, facial injuries, shoulder and back injuries among the most common.

However, the council also paid more than €2 million of the €34 million for claims over damage it caused to the property of others.

Increase

Compensation claims paid by the city council increased by 50 per cent between 2011 and 2015, with the council paying out more than €8.2 million last year, up from €5.5 million in 2011, with a year-on-year increase in the cost of claims.

Of the four Dublin local authorities, only South Dublin County Council saw a reduction in the cost of claims last year, with the council paying €518,000 down from €1.5 million in 2014. Its highest costs over the five years were in 2012 when it made payments of just over €1.8 million. The claims generally related to trips and falls, road traffic incidents, as well as damage to property, the council said.

Compensation claims against Fingal County Council fluctuated over the five year period, with 2013 seeing the largest payouts amounting to €1.67 million. After a significant drop in 2014, when €826,300 was paid out, costs rose again last year, almost doubling to €1.6 million.

Trips and falls

The highest level of payouts in Fingal related to trips and falls on footpaths, which cost the council more than €3 million over the five years.

The level of compensation paid by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council increased by almost 80 per cent between 2011 and 2015, with payments rising from €2 million to €3.58 million.

The figures come as a recent survey by private insurer AIG found that Irish people believe insurance payouts are too high, particularly in relation to claims for whiplash sustained in car crashes.

It showed that 78 per cent of respondents believe average whiplash awards of €15,000 are too much, with suggested alternatives averaging just €3,631.