David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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296. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number and details of compensation or redress schemes put in place by his Department since 1998, in tabular form; the number of claims made; the total cost of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6457/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The table below sets out the details of compensations or redress schemes put in place by my Department since 1998.

The scheme set out above relates to Covid-19 Illness Loss. In March 2020, in line with Government policy arising from the Covid-19 crisis, my Department introduced an illness loss of earnings scheme for Civil Defence volunteers who were activated during the Covid-19 crisis. The scheme is now closed.

By way of completeness I have also set out below other mechanisms which are open to personnel to seek financial compensation or redress for issues arising in the course of their employment

Awards arising from Legal Proceedings

Arising from litigation cases taken against the Minister by current or former members of the Defence Forces, awards of court ordered compensation, by way of payment of damages and/or redress, have arisen during the reference period of this question. However, these payments are ordered by the court following its judgment, or underpinned by such orders following the agreement of settlement terms between the parties to the litigation.

The taking of a civil litigation claim is distinct and separate to any internal compensatory scheme or redress that may have been put in place by my Department.

Any awards arising on foot of litigation are confidential between the parties to the litigation and do not fall within the scope of the question of compensation or redress schemes put in place by my Department. Any compensation or redress arising from litigated matters are court-ordered and relate to the specifics circumstances of the litigation brought or the settlement agreement reached.

Conciliation & Arbitration and Industrial Relations

Agreements made under the Conciliation and Arbitration scheme are industrial relations matters and are not considered to be compensation or redress schemes for the purpose of this question. Similarly, agreements arising from the settlement or adjudication of cases processed through the Workplace Relations Commission are not deemed to be within the scope of the question.

Ombudsman for the Defence Forces

The Ombudsman for the Defence Forces was established under the Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Act 2004 and provides an independent complaints mechanism for members or formers members of the Defence Forces. The Ombudsman does not award financial compensation and so is not included in the table above.