Over €8.7m compensation paid to victims of crime in 2023
Compensation totalling over €8.7 million was paid out to victims of violent crime in 2023 with one individual receiving an award of over €2.7 million.
Another victim received total compensation of over €1.5 million on appeal after initially being awarded just €5,000.
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The latest annual report of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal reveals that combined awards made to individuals who suffered personal injuries under a general scheme for victims of violent crime and a special one for prison officers increased by 8 per cent in 2023 to €8,717,040.
A total of 345 individual awards were made by the CICT in 2023 – an annual increase of 22 per cent.
The compensation scheme, which was established in 1974, is open to all applicants who have been victims of a violent crime.
A total of 270 applicants under the general scheme accepted and received awards totalling over €7.5 million in 2023 – representing an average payout of €27,838.
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However, the awards ranged from less than €100 to over €2.7 million.
The highest compensation payout was made to a woman who suffered 'debilitating and enduring injuries' following an intentional assault to cause her serious harm.
The CICT noted the victim, who had no relevant medical or psychiatric history before the assault, sustained serious brain injuries and now required full-time care as she could no longer have an independent lifestyle or return to work.
It awarded her victim a total of €2,762,453 in compensation including almost €2 million for the cost of future care and €221,000 for the cost of future childcare.
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In another case, a young man who sustained an acquired brain injury after hitting his head on the ground after he was punched in an unprovoked attack by an unknown individual was originally awarded €5,000 compensation.
On appeal, however, the sum was increased to €1,539,234 after the victim was made a ward of court and the CICT heard evidence that he would require life-long support.
The tribunal also awarded €95,000 to a close friend of the victim who has supported him for future care costs as well as €44,417 for out-of-pocket expenses in relation to the case.
The CICT has also operated a separate compensation scheme since 1990 for prison officers who suffer personal injuries during the course of their work.
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Its latest annual report shows 75 prison officers received compensation totalling over €1.2 million in 2023 – representing an average award of €16,011.
The report reveals the tribunal received a total of 252 new applications in 2023 – an annual decrease of 7 per cent.
They consisted of 163 for the general scheme and 89 under the prison officer scheme.
The tribunal's chairperson, Conor Heaney, said the number of applications received in 2023 is approaching levels seen prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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However, Mr Heaney said the tribunal was well placed to deal with the increase in volume.
He said there had also been significant progress in reducing significantly the number of 'abeyance' files by closing off cases where applications had been made more than five years previously and where no awards could be made due to a lack of supporting information.
Overall, tribunal members, which consist of qualified barristers and solicitors appointed by the Minister for Justice, processed a total of 805 cases in 2023.
The scheme allows victims and their dependents in fatal cases to apply for reimbursement of expenses and losses they may have suffered as a direct result of a violent crime.
The tribunal also considers claims for compensation from people injured in coming to the aid of gardaí or trying to prevent crime in a public place as well as anyone injured in preventing the escape of a criminal from custody or attempting to save a human life.
It is also a requirement that any criminal incident which resulted in an injury for which compensation is sought must be reported to gardaí without delay, or Fiosrú (previously known as the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission) in cases where the alleged offender is a garda.
An application for compensation must be submitted to the CICT within three months of the offence, although a longer deadline of up to two years is accepted in exceptional circumstances.
The scheme does not consider applications from people injured as a result of road traffic offences except in cases where there has been a deliberate attempt to run down a victim.
Since 1986, compensation is only paid out in relation to special damages – losses which are quantifiable such as wages – as the CICT does not consider any award for general damages such as pain and suffering.
Further changes may arise from a report due this year from the Law Reform Commission which is reviewing how victims of crime should be compensated.
Awards by the tribunal are limited to the amount in annual funding voted to it by the Dáil each year.
In April, Sinn Féin's spokesperson on justice, Matt Carthy called on the Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan to bring forward legislation to put the CICT on a statutory basis as 'a matter of urgency.'
It followed briefing documents which showed funding for the scheme was due to be exhausted by the end of March.
Mr Carthy said a lack of funding for the scheme would be 'deeply concerning' as it was vital for supporting victims of crime including those who had experienced life-changing injuries.
Last year, a Circuit Court judge, Judge Keenan Johnson, called for National Lottery funding and court fines to be used to provide improved compensation payments for victims of violent crime.
Judge Johnson claimed the current system – a reference to the CICT – was 'inadequate' for recognising the impact of violent assaults on injured parties.
He observed that a scheme which does not allow payments to compensate for any pain or suffering felt by victims was 'grossly unjust.'
The judge had previously observed that Ireland had 'one of the meanest systems in Europe' for compensating victims of crime.
He also contrasted how the State 'has no difficulty in spending a fortune on incarcerating people' with the inadequate levels of compensation for victims of violent crime.
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