Mr. Conor O'Brien:

One of the things we have been working on in the new version of the book of quantum is to give a lot more detail about the individual injuries. Where there were three levels of impairment in the original book, we have increased that, where the data is available, to four levels of impairment and have given more description in each of those levels. That will allow judges and others using the book to make more informed decisions. The book is a guideline. It could not possibly encapsulate every personal injury that happens in the State. It can only ever be a guideline and it gives those broad bands to allow people consider relative awards for different injuries. In the overall scheme of things, not many cases go all the way through the courts. We would not have any data on adherence to the book of quantum. It would mainly be anecdotal.