Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 20 November 2014

Public Accounts Committee

2013 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 22 - Courts Service

11:40 am

Mr. Sean Quigley:

This goes back to the fact that the court determines the amount of the settlement. We manage whatever that settlement is to the best of our ability. We have no ability to guarantee the value of the award of the court will be sufficient. This has been recognised more recently with the consideration of the periodic payments. It is a difficulty and we recognise that. The evidence, certainly in relation to the arrangements the Courts Service has put in place over the past ten or 11 years, is that those arrangements are working very effectively. If there is a shortfall, it is not down to what the Courts Service has been doing.