Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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186. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the expenses incurred by his Department relating to all types of insurance in each of the past five years; the cost of each insurance policy held by his Department over the same time period per annum; if he will provide the same data for all bodies under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26279/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Government Departments do not have conventional insurance cover. Instead, Departments, including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) operate under State indemnity, a self-insurance model whereby the State bears the financial risk associated with the costs of claims.

The State Claims Agency (SCA), manages personal injury, property damage and negligence claims brought against DAFM and deals with any claims against the Department.  

There are only three exceptional instances where DAFM has taken out insurance:

1. On the advice of the  Chief State Solicitors Office, DAFM took out insurance on a  property it owned which was leased to a third party. The insurance cost is recouped from the third party pro-rata to the occupancy of the property.

2. In respect of  external contracted staff, working on the National Forestry Inventory where insurance was paid for a number of years by DAFM but is now sourced and paid for by the contractors directly.

3. Insurance  in respect of a property used as a District Office.

Details of these payments are set out in the table below.

These are operational matters for the State Bodies and the Deputy may wish to contact them directly.

Department Of Agriculture Food and the Marine