PUBLIC LIABILITY CLAIMS against Dublin City Council hit €8.5 million in 2016.
The claims are largely connected to falls and trips and injuries sustained on council property. All public bodies carry insurance for the payments.
Figures from Dublin City Council show that awards in 2016 came to €8,540,404. A further €248,776 was paid out through the council’s property insurance.
The figure is higher than the roughly €8 million paid out in 2015 by the councils.
Across Dublin, claims were made against the other local authorities, pushing total claims over the €10 million mark.
A spokesperson said the figure for the Fingal area alone was over €2.5 million.
“Fingal County Council paid €2,586,000 in respect of public liability claims in 2016. This figure includes settlements and all associated costs and the payments could relate to claims received in any year prior to 2016.”
A spokesperson for Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said their figure had dropped from 2014′s €1.8 million.
“€1,551,806 was paid out in public liability claims in 2016. The figure is inclusive of compensation awards, legal and other costs incurred in the settlement of the claims.”
However, a spokesperson for the county’s other council – South Dublin – said their only outgoing was an insurance premium and declined to give details of the claims.
“Since 1 January 2014, Irish Public Bodies deal with all insurance claims on the council’s behalf.
“Regardless of the outcomes of claims made against the council, the cost to SDCC since 1st January 2014 is only the cost of the public liability insurance premium each year.”
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