Defence Forces pay out €5.5m in compensation

MEMBERS of the Defence Forces received more than €5 million in compensation last year while legal costs brought the total bill to nearly €10m.

More than 500 members had their claims settled last year, including Army, Navy and Air Corps personnel who took deafness claims.

They were awarded an average of nearly €6,000 or a total of €2.3m.

Five troops were awarded a total of €73,000 in relation to “matters arising out of interpersonal contact”, where someone is injured in an assault by a fellow soldier or officer.

More than 70 members were awarded a total of more than €1m following road traffic accidents while on duty and seven were awarded €574,000 after being injured while handling weapons or explosives.

Ten cases taken by members hurt while carrying, lifting or handling equipment were settled last year. Each received an average payout of just over €70,000. A further 18 members received an average of €24,000 after slipping, tripping or falling in the line of duty. Legal costs to settle those claims amounted to €321,000.

While the rate of army deafness claims has slowed in the last year - and the average payout has dropped - lawyers continued to rake in the money. While €2.3m was paid in deafness settlements, legal costs were €200,000 higher.

Approximately €280m has been paid out in compensation to soldiers claiming to have suffered hearing loss as a result of serving in the armed forces.

Nearly 17,000 former and current members of the defence forces have made claims. The final bill will be around €300m.

A total of €5.5m was paid out in settlements last year while legal costs amounted to €4.3m.