Cork takes country’s claims crown

Cork has become the compo capital of the nation. In comparison with 78 civil compensation claims in Dublin during the last three months of 2002, there were 94 such cases in Cork, where €2 million was handed out in compensation.

This was over €100,000 more than Dublin, which has three times the population.

Cork is now paying out €3.5m a year in compensation. Deputy Noel O’Flynn of Fianna Fáil has suggested that many of the claims are spurious.

During the three-month period, 434 compensation claims were heard around the country in the Circuit Court. These involved sums of between €500 and €42,000, and the total payout came to €5m.

There were 37 cases in Clonmel, 29 in Limerick and 18 in Tralee, while Portlaoise had none, and places like Carrick, Kilkenny and Tullamore had one case each.

Like Deputy O’Flynn, the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has recognised that many cases are spurious or exaggerated. He therefore plans to introduce legislation later this year to require claimants to swear an affidavit in advance, and this evidence will then be used against people making false or exaggerated claims.

It will be a welcome development, but why do we have to wait for the end of the year? The politicians are now on holidays. They will claim (spuriously) that they have earned them. But they have been working a one-and-a-half day week this year!