Written answers

Wednesday, 18 January 2023

Department of Justice and Equality

Prison Service

Photo of Louise O'ReillyLouise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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1093. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if his Department has any plans to establish a statutory compensation scheme for prison officers similar to the compensation scheme that is in place for members of An Garda Síochána who sustain personal injuries in the performance of their duties which helps affected gardaí get support for their recovery and compensates them for their injuries. [63834/22]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that I have asked officials in my Department to liaise with management in the Irish Prison Service to examine proposals on replacing the current Scheme with a Scheme similar to the one being introduced for An Garda Síochána and to revert with their observations in due course.

As regards the operation of the current Scheme, I wish to advise the Deputy that it provides for compensation in respect of personal injuries criminally inflicted on Prison Officers in the course of duty.

The Scheme is administered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal, which is independent in the matter of individual decisions on applications for compensation.

Paragraph 7 of the Scheme already provides that compensation awarded by the Tribunal will be on the basis of damages awarded under the Civil Liability Acts (except in a range of defined circumstances set out in that paragraph).

In assessing an award for general damages under the prison officer scheme, the Tribunal in the past took the Book of Quantum into account.

In April 2021, the Judicial Council Personal Injuries Guidelines were commenced and I can confirm that since then, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal has regard to those guidelines in assessing general damages under the Prison Officer scheme.

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