City council paid out more than €4m in compensation for falls last year

Trips and falls cost Cork City Council more than €4m in compensation last year, with average payouts higher than ever at close to €25,000.

Accidents on the city’s main pedestrian-friendly streets, including St Patrick’s St, have cost almost €600,000 alone since 2008, with incidents involving footpaths to blame for most of the payouts.

The cost of claims since 2011 has topped €17m and despite a fall in the number of claims — from 213 in 2011 to 163 last year — payouts have risen from €3.6m in 2011 to €4.048m last year.