Mr. Seamus McCarthy:

It is from 2012 but having reviewed it recently it is probably still relevant and useful in the context of the framework of issues that arise in relation to management of claims.

On the questions about the number of claims in the Irish Prison Service and An Garda Síochána cases, there is further information in relation to the claims outstanding at the end of each year in a note to the appropriation accounts. It might be useful to review that before the committee writes to the Department or to An Garda Síochána in relation to the claims and breakdown of those. I have the Garda Síochána appropriation account opened here. They divide the claims numbers between claims by members of An Garda Síochána and employees of An Garda Síochána on the one hand, and civil claims by members of the public. Certainly, in the latter case there are probably 320 claims by members of the public and then it lists some 180 claims by members and employees of An Garda Síochána. The figure given here is a bit higher and that raises a question for me as to why there would be a discrepancy.

My interpretation of the figures relating to the Irish Prison Service is that they are counting each of the claims as an individual claim although they are probably being handled as a group claim, or at least a class of claims, so that whatever settlement is made the terms of the settlement would be similar for each of the claimants.

There was a question also about the tribunals' figures. My reading of the small print, together with the table, is that these are the third-party legal costs claims that were being handled by the State Claims Agency. The legal costs of State bodies and of the tribunals would be charged to the relevant Votes. The State Claims Agency is only dealing with third-party claims. As I read it here, these are cases that have been settled by the State Claims Agency to the end of September 2021. I do not know this is helpful to Deputy Murphy.