COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, October 11, 2021

QUESTION NO. 16

QUESTION: Councillor Derren Ó Brádaigh

To ask the Chief Executive to outline the procedure in existence in following up claims against motorists (insured and uninsured) where council properties, garden and estate boundary walls and street furniture are demolished as a result of road traffic incidents. And in pursuing such redress, can this council comment on how actively this is pursued with private insurers, the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland and the Gardai, providing any relevant statistics.

REPLY:

Incidents of damage of this nature are notified to the Council's insurers, IPBMI, where information is available regarding how the damage has occurred and who is responsible.  Where reliable information is available IPBMI will pursue a claim with the insurers of the other party.  In many instances this type of accident occurs at a time and in a manner whereby the Council has no information as to who is responsible.  In circumstances where a culprit cannot be identified it is not then possible to pursue them for the cost of repairs.  In such cases the costs are either borne directly by the Council through the revenue budget, or on occasions by way of a claim on the Council's own insurance.  In general claims are not made by the Council on the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland.  All such instances of damage to public property are reported to the Gardai.

With regards to damage to Traffic Management Infrastructure contact is made with the Gardai to seek to identify vehicles. Where vehicles are identified the matter is pursued with the Insurers or the MIBI. When no vehicle can be identified the matter cannot be pursued . In 2019 there were 22 such instances. 14 were brought to a satisfactory outcome and the remaining 8 could not be pursued.