The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) has warned that the new State Claims Agency will take a more combative approach in resisting claims for damages against Government departments and other State authorities such as the Garda S∅ochβna and the Defence Forces. The NTMA, through the SCA, took over the management of damages claims against the State last month and is expected to handle up to 1,000 claims a year. When it emerged on December 3rd, the SCA took over the management of 700 existing claims.
"We are centralising the claims business with the aim of keeping down legal and other costs," said NTMA director Mr Adrian Kearns who added that legal costs alone could add up to 40 per cent to the actual damages awarded. "We want to make sure that problems like the Army deafness claims are never again repeated," he stated.
Mr Kearns said the agency was set up after the Army deafness claims which led to around €380 million (£300 million) in payouts to soldiers plus at least another €120 million being paid in legal costs.
About 10 per cent of claims against State agencies relate to property damage, 60 per cent are employers' liability and 30 per cent public liability.
The SCA will not be managing claims against other public bodies such as local authorities.
