A new report from Deloitte and the Injuries Resolution Board (IRB) shows that compensation for minor neck and back injuries in Ireland remains far higher than in England and Wales. Between 2022 and 2024, Irish awards were found to be 3.9 to 4.9 times higher, with the average IRB assessment at €7,377 and insurer settlements averaging €9,106.
The study, commissioned by Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke, will inform the ongoing review of Ireland’s Personal Injuries Guidelines. While the guidelines introduced in 2021 aimed to bring more consistency to awards, Britain has since implemented further reforms that have reduced payouts there, widening the gap once again.
Deloitte and the IRB note that the disparity is also shaped by factors such as settlement routes, driver behaviour, and road use patterns. A proposed 16.7% increase to Irish guideline awards was not accepted by Government, prompting warnings from Chief Justice Donal O’Donnell that the system risks becoming outdated. Minister of State Niamh Smyth said recent Irish reforms have helped, but that the changes in England and Wales have pushed the compensation difference even further apart.
