Compensation payments for those claiming against local councils and other public sector organisations in Northern Ireland are double those paid in the rest of the UK, warned Alarm.
There seemed to be a higher level of sympathy to claimants from the courts in Northern Ireland, with more claimants awarded some degree of compensation, said Alarm, the National Forum for Risk Management in the Public Sector.
In response to this, Alarm said public sector organisations in Northern Ireland needed to step up their risk management arrangements to reduce the number of claims made against them.
Rob Rodgers, risk manager with The St. Paul International Insurance Company, said: “Damage awards paid out by councils in Northern Ireland are double that of the rest of the UK.
“They have very high payouts and sympathetic courts, resulting in local councils paying out proportionately higher costs than those in England and the rest of the UK in many cases.
Alarm Northern Ireland chairman Mike Keating, said: “Compensation claims are a growing issue for councils across Northern Ireland and the damages being paid are often much higher than those in England and the rest of the UK.
“It is vital that the public sector recognises the importance of managing the risks that could result in claims against them, and the aim should be to avoid accidents happening in the first place.
“Risk management is definitely improving, but the risk management culture needs to be embedded within organisations, not just addressed by small pockets.
