The Irish Government has published an independent review of compensation awards made through the Injuries Resolution Board. Conducted by Deloitte and released in October 2025, the report analyses more than 12,000 awards and settlements for minor neck and back injuries arising from road traffic accidents between 2022 and 2024. Its findings have drawn considerable attention within the legal and insurance sectors, as they provide a detailed comparison between Irish award levels and those in England and Wales.
The review found that Irish awards for these minor injuries remain several times higher than their counterparts in the United Kingdom. This has reignited discussion about the effectiveness of the Personal Injuries Guidelines and the broader system of injury compensation in Ireland. For claimants and the public, the report offers a useful snapshot of how compensation levels are evolving and what this may mean for future claims through the IRB.
The IRB and the Personal Injuries Guidelines
The Injuries Resolution Board (or IRB for short) is the independent body that handles most personal injury claims in Ireland. It was first set up in 2004 as the Personal Injuries Assessment Board and renamed in 2023 to reflect its wider role in resolving claims. When someone is injured and seeks compensation, their claim is usually assessed by the IRB before it can proceed to court. The aim is to provide fair and consistent awards while keeping legal costs and waiting times to a minimum.
In 2021, a major change was introduced with the arrival of the Personal Injuries Guidelines. These replaced the old Book of Quantum and set out clear ranges of compensation for different types of injuries. The goal was simple: to make the process more predictable and ensure that people with similar injuries receive similar awards. The Guidelines were also meant to bring greater stability to the insurance market and help keep premiums down.
Since then, the Guidelines have clearly affected the value of claims, particularly for minor soft-tissue injuries such as whiplash. Average awards fell in the first year, which led to debate about whether the reductions went too far or not far enough. Earlier in 2025, the Judicial Council suggested an average increase of just over 16% to reflect inflation and changing circumstances, but the Government decided to hold off on implementing it.
It was against this backdrop that the Government asked Deloitte to carry out an independent review. The goal was to see how Ireland’s award levels compare with those in other countries, especially England and Wales. The results of that review are now helping to shape the ongoing discussion about the future of personal injury compensation in Ireland.
Key findings of the Deloitte review
Published by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in October, the independent review of compensation awards was carried out by Deloitte, and offers an evidence-based picture of how Irish compensation levels compare with those in other jurisdictions.
The review focused on one specific area of personal injury law — minor neck and back soft-tissue injuries arising from road traffic accidents. These are often called “whiplash” or “soft-tissue” claims and make up a large share of all personal injury cases. By examining these common injuries in detail, the report aimed to produce a clear and reliable comparison between Ireland and the UK.
Deloitte’s review produced some striking results. Despite recent reforms and the introduction of the Personal Injuries Guidelines, compensation levels for minor neck and back injuries in Ireland remain significantly higher than those in England and Wales.
The key findings summarised:
- IRB awards for minor neck and back soft-tissue injuries averaged €7,377 between 2022 and 2024.
- These awards were 3.9 times higher than the average for comparable cases in England and Wales.
- Irish insurer settlements for similar injuries averaged €9,106, which is 4.9 times higher than in England and Wales.
- The study confirms that even under the Personal Injuries Guidelines, Irish awards remain much higher than those in the UK.
The report shows that while Ireland’s compensation framework has become more structured and transparent, the overall level of awards continues to exceed that of neighbouring jurisdictions by a wide margin. For claimants, this means that the Irish system still recognises the impact of injury at a comparatively higher level. For policymakers, it poses the challenge of balancing fairness to injured people with the broader goal of keeping insurance costs under control.
The bigger picture
While the Deloitte review focused on a narrow set of injuries, its findings sit within a much broader picture of how the Injuries Resolution Board is performing. Recent figures show that the IRB continues to deliver faster and more cost-effective outcomes than traditional litigation.
In 2024, the IRB awarded a total of €168 million in compensation, with an average award of €18,967 and a median award of €13,100. Around half of all awards were accepted by claimants, and the Board estimates that its work saved about €76 million in legal costs compared with taking the same claims through the courts.
Claim numbers have remained steady but are still around one-third lower than before the pandemic. This reduction is often linked to the impact of the Personal Injuries Guidelines, which have led to more predictable outcomes and fewer inflated claims.
Taken together, these figures suggest that the IRB is succeeding in its main purpose: resolving claims more efficiently while ensuring fair compensation for genuine injuries. The challenge now lies in maintaining that balance as policymakers continue to review award levels and the operation of the Guidelines.
Questions about upcoming compensation reforms?
The Deloitte review highlights how far Ireland’s personal injury system has come in creating a fair and consistent process for claimants. As further reforms are considered, it will be important to keep fairness for injured people at the centre of the discussion.
If you are concerned about how upcoming reforms may affect an injury claim you are initiating, the personal injury team at McCarthy + Co Solicitors LLP will be glad to answer any questions you may have. Arrange a consultation with us using our quick and confidential online form.
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