Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 311: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if recent media reports that he is transferring the Garda compensation scheme to the State Claims Agency are correct; the savings he expects to achieve; if legislation to give effect to the transfer is planned; when he expects the change to happen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25186/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Garda Síochána (Compensation) Acts 1941 and 1945 provide for a scheme for compensation for gardaí who have been killed or maliciously injured in the line of duty. The scheme provides for compensation for the family of a deceased member where death resulted from malicious injury. It also provides a mechanism for a member to apply to my Department for authorisation for cases of malicious injury of a non-minor nature to be assessed by the High Court and provides for compensation to a member for a malicious injury of a minor nature where the duty being performed involved special risk.

There has been a shared view for some time that the existing scheme needs to be replaced with a more efficient process. The scheme, whereby all cases must go to the High Court, is liable to delays and high legal costs, and lacks facilities to settle claims in an efficient manner consistent with recent developments in processing personal injury claims.

The State Claims Agency recently submitted proposals for an alternative scheme. My Department is currently considering these with Garda management and in consultation with the Garda associations. The objective of the proposals is to establish a more cost effective compensation scheme which will deal with compensation claims for malicious injuries in a timely and efficient manner and to the satisfaction of all interested parties. It is my intention, on the conclusion of these discussions, to bring forward proposals for implementing legislative measures.