Data reveals that Dublin’s four local authorities collectively paid out almost €24 million in public liability claims over the past two years. These claims, which include incidents such as slips, trips, and property damage, highlight the ongoing challenges faced by municipalities in managing public safety and infrastructure.
Dublin’s Payouts for Slips, Trips, and Property Damage
Between November 2022 and November 2024, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, South Dublin County Council, and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council paid out a total of €23.99 million in public liability claims. Dublin City Council was the largest contributor, with payouts amounting to €12.55 million. The majority of these claims were related to incidents that occurred over several years, reflecting the lengthy process involved in resolving public liability cases.
The claims included a wide range of incidents, from personal injuries due to slips and trips on footpaths to damage caused by potholes and fallen trees. For example, in 2022, Dublin City Council finalised 384 claims related to footpaths and slip/trip incidents, which decreased to 295 by the end of November 2024. Pothole damage claims, although fewer in number, showed an increasing trend, with 44 claims finalised by the end of 2024.
Fingal County Council reported a total payout of almost €1.6 million for public liability claims from November 2022 to November 2024. The council finalised 74 claims in the first year, amounting to €99,967 in compensation. This included 11 injury claims related to trip and fall incidents, resulting in €46,211 in compensation. The remaining 63 damage claims, including those related to tree incidents and potholes, totalled €53,756. In the following year, Fingal paid 101 claims, with a total payout of €129,645.
South Dublin County Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council also faced significant payouts, contributing to the overall total. These figures underscore the financial impact of public liability claims on local authorities and the need for effective measures to mitigate such incidents.
Tipperary’s Pothole Problem
Tipperary County Council also faced a significant number of public liability claims, particularly related to pothole damage. In the first three quarters of 2024, the council paid out 165 claims, including 88 pothole claims and 77 public liability claims. The total cost of these payouts amounted to €1,427,053, with €12,171 specifically for pothole claims.
The number of claims in Tipperary showed a decrease from the previous year, where 224 public liability claims were made, costing the council €2,375,363. This reduction can be attributed to updated judicial guidelines for personal injuries and a backlog of cases from the COVID-19 pandemic.
National Trends in Public Liability Awards
On a national level, public liability awards have totalled nearly €130 million over the past five years. According to the Injuries Resolution Board, the total value of awards made between 2019 and 2023 was almost €130 million, with the most common cause of accidents being falls on the same level. These incidents accounted for 15,000 claims and €90 million in compensation.
The report highlighted that outdoor falls, particularly on roads and footpaths, were a significant cause of pedestrian injuries, outnumbering collisions with motor vehicles. The frequency of these injuries, although less severe, resulted in substantial compensation payouts. The data also revealed that older adults were at a higher risk of sustaining injuries in public spaces, with more than half of this age group experiencing moderate to severe injuries.
