Crooked cobbles create ‘compo culture’ of €5m over three years

Shop Street’s crooked cobbles are creating a new ‘compo culture’, city officials fear.

Fresh figures reveal compensation payouts for personal injury claims have exceeded €5 million over three years.

It is understood the bulk of claims are for injuries sustained in falls and sprains on uneven surfaces along the main shopping thoroughfare through the city centre. It also includes pay-outs for claims in city parks and other public areas.

The statistics show the number of claims made by members of the public in Galway City soared by 14% last year.

Galway City Council has conceded it doesn’t have any money to carry out “urgent” maintenance and repairs on the pedestrian zone on Shop Street and streets leading off it. But there are fears that unless action is taken, the level of claims will increase further as the pedestrian zone deteriorates.

Labour Party City Councillor Niall McNelis, who obtained the figures, said: “The figures are staggering but I’m not surprised. The insurance industry will tell you that people will go to their lawyers before they go to their doctors. Unfortunately there has been a compensation culture in Ireland and the amount being paid out suggests it is alive again in Galway.”

Over the past three years some €5.267 million compensation was paid out by IPB Insurance for claims relating to Galway City.

That total included €1.029 million in 2012; €2.263 million in 2013; and €1.975 million last year.

There were 242 payouts for personal injuries claims over that three year period including 78 in 2012, 75 in 2013 and 89 in 2014.

The Council’s insurance premium has been €1.7m annually over the past three years.

Cllr McNelis, a businessman, said the City Council must use these the ‘shocking’ figures as ‘leverage’ to get the necessary capital investment for repairs on the city’s pedestrian streets.

■ For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.