Deafness bill cost Ireland $410m

2007-10-06 14:22

Dublin - Claims by members of Ireland's defence forces that shooting and explosions damaged their hearing will cost taxpayers about $410m, says the defence ministry.

Claims had been received from 16 791 serving and retired members of the army, air corps and naval service. The claims had come from all ranks from privates to generals.

The servicemen claimed they were deafened by the noise of gunfire and explosions while training on firing ranges because defence force bosses failed to supply them with adequate ear protection.

Some of the claims came from people who might have served for just brief periods in the country's part-time army 30 to 40 years ago.

Minister Willie O'Dea said 15 887 claims had been dealt with so far with 284.8 million euros paid out for hearing loss claims, including 97.7 million euros in legal costs.

In reply to a written parliamentary question published on the defence ministry website, O'Dea said the State Claims Agency estimated that it would cost another five million euros to deal with the remaining claims.

In the late 1990s, up to 80% of those in some barracks around the country were claiming hearing loss. At one stage, officials feared the final bill could be over one billion euros.

When the claims first began to be lodged, the ministry faced a fundamental problem of objectively assessing the disability suffered by servicemen, which made it difficult to identify exaggerated claims in the courts.

O'Dea also revealed that a further $45m had been paid out to defence forces personnel in other compensation cases since 2000.

- AFP