InjuriesBoard.ie
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Presentation to Oireachtas Committee Members
Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation
1st April 2014
Patricia Byron
Chief Executive
Context
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 Injuries Board (PIAB) established 10 years ago
 Many years in the making (JOC Report 1986, Deloitte &
Touche Report 1996, MIAB Report 2002)
 Cross party political support
 Function – Quasi-Judicial, Delivery of Personal
Injury Awards
 Mandate – lower handling costs, faster timelines,
same level of awards
 Remove cases from costly litigation – key driver of
the cost of insurance
 Remit: Motor, Public & Work Place PI Claims
Results to date – key indicators
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Over 70,000 awards made to date
Over €1.5 billion assessed in compensation
Highest Award to date - €1million
Timelines – 7.3 months versus 3 years
Consistency of awards – Book of Quantum
Savings
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€500m direct *
€500m indirect from settlements *
Total €1 billion *
 Delivery costs – < 8.0% (Litigation 2004: 46% 2013: 58%)
* based on current litigation costs of 58%
External/Societal Impact
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 Deliver same award levels – no court, faster and more effective
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system
Reduced Respondent fee to lowest ever level – flat €600 per case
Reduction in Court cases, less demand on Courts Service
Focus on early return to work/rehabilitation
Less strain on medical services – more efficient reporting
Proper investigation of cases in defined timelines
Direct service available
Car Insurance costs down 40% in real terms since end 2002
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Injury claims drive cost of motor insurance premiums
Injury claims impact all insurance costs which impact cost of all Goods and
Services in the County
Reform Initiatives
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Done
 Repayment of accident related State Salaries – directive prepared by
Department of Public Reform & Expenditure
 Repayment of accident related welfare benefits (Department of Social
Protection) – amendment to legislation to allow for recovery of benefits
 Framework Agreement for Business Process Support Services
Pending
 Tender with Gardai for GP Services/reports
 Tender/Framework for other Medical Consultants services/reports
 Repayment of accident related hospital charges
 Medical Negligence & Range of Redress Schemes
 Potential for significant savings on several fronts
 Non-adversarial resolution the way forward, not costly, lengthy,
adversarial model
Delivery for the Citizen & Society (1)
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 Lower insurance premiums
 No requirement for adversarial system/Court
 Book of Quantum ensures predictability & consistency
 Public Interest comments – claims farming, insurance
premium increases
 Publication of data/research into nature & causation of
accidents/injuries – key driver for those involved in
accident prevention
Delivering for the Citizen & Society (2)
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 Opening hours 8 am – 8 pm; 24/7 – via website
 No need for 3rd party representation – adds time/cost
 Range of contact methods including web chat, call back,
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social media
Very high customer satisfaction ratings
E-services – on-line application form, electronic
correspondence
Plain language website with FAQ’s and case studies
Smartphone app
2014 - Development of IT portals
- End to end online services
How achieved/organisational capability
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 IB model now adopted across Public Service
 Identified core/non-core workflows
 In-house/out-house model i.e. outsourcing
 Offers scalability, flexibility, capacity, keeps fixed overheads
to a minimum
 Specific capability in managing outsourced provider
 Self-funding model including mark to market pension
funding by agency i.e. No exchequer funding
Potential Reform Initiatives
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 All redress schemes to default to non-adversarial
model i.e. faster, cheaper for Exchequer, and more
citizen centric
 Insurance – drive transparency and availability of
key data from all insurers i.e. dynamic monitoring
of premium movements
Thank you for listening
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