Mattie McGrath Calls for Stronger Cuts to Personal Injury Awards
Mattie McGrath spoke on 24 March 2021 about Judicial Council guidelines on personal injury awards, arguing they are inadequate and must be tightened to cut payouts and lower insurance costs. He criticised the guidelines as a "half-baked effort" and urged the Judicial Council and the government to take firmer action.
Judicial Council guidelines criticised
McGrath said the group had reacted with dismay to the recent guidelines published by the Judicial Council. He warned that hard-pressed people — businesses, charities, volunteering community groups, sports and cultural organisations and small businesses — are severely affected by payouts for small and minor injuries.
Comparative payout figures cited
The deputy compared award levels with figures for England, citing differing amounts for minor injuries and whiplash. He said, as in the transcript, that "in England" certain payouts were lower, and that awards for whiplash here are roughly twice the English level according to his remarks.
Impact on businesses and pandemic context
McGrath emphasised that businesses are already struggling and that the pandemic makes reducing payouts more important. He argued smaller awards would help reduce insurance costs for small businesses and community organisations.
PIAB and government intervention
He welcomed the reform as a potential milestone that could bring PIAB back to the centre stage as a faster, cheaper route for claims. He urged the Judicial Council to go back and called for the government and the minister overseeing reform to intervene and press for more substantial reductions in payouts so insurance prices fall over time.
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Teachta, National Reform of Insurance, they have reacted with dismay, the group, to the recent guidelines published by the Judicial Council. Hard press people, whether they be business people, charities, volunteering community groups, sports and cultural organisations and small businesses, you know, are severely affected by the payouts for small and minor injuries. We see an effort here by the Judicial Council, but it's a half-baked effort to reduce the fees. They haven't reduced by nearly enough, and businesses out there are struggling, as we know anyway, but now with the pandemic, it's all the more important that the Judicial Council gets the teeth here and brings down the charges, rather payouts, much smaller. In England, actually, the payout now is for a minor injury on your thumb or a sprain is now £12,000, but in England it's only £4,500. And the same for, you know, in England it's only £4,190 for a whiplash, whereas here it's twice that. So we need to deal effectively with this, and Judicial Council will have to go back, and the government must intervene here. Taoiseach? Taoiseach? Taoiseach? I think two things here. First of all, I welcome the change. I think it will lead to reduced insurance costs, and I think if you would avail of the opportunity, I could ask Minister Sean Fleming to talk to, who I think is overseeing this, I think he is overseeing this, and really is applying himself with great energy to the whole area of insurance reform. I think it's a milestone. I also think it will bring PIAB back into the centre stage and I think PIAB will be faster and a cheaper route for all to pursue claims through and I think over time this will have a significant impact overall in terms of insurance price. Thank you, Taoiseach.
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