The way personal injury claims are handled in Ireland has been changing steadily over recent years, with a strong policy focus on reducing costs, improving efficiency, and limiting unnecessary litigation. At the centre of these reforms is the Injuries Resolution Board (formerly known as PIAB), which was established to provide a quicker and more accessible alternative to the courts for resolving injury claims.
As the Injuries Resolution Board’s current strategic plan moves from planning to delivery, 2026 is shaping up to be a significant year. Many of the actions set out at both strategic and government level are scheduled to take effect during this period, meaning that claimants, businesses, and insurers alike are likely to begin seeing practical changes in how claims are assessed, resolved, and understood.
The Injuries Resolution Board’s strategic direction
At the heart of the Injuries Resolution Board’s Strategic Plan 2025-2029 is a clear intention to strengthen its role as the primary forum for resolving personal injury claims outside the courts. The strategic plan signals a shift away from viewing the Board solely as an assessment body, and towards positioning it as a central, trusted part of Ireland’s wider injury resolution system.
The strategy is built around several interlinked priorities:
- Increasing trust and confidence in the Board’s processes and outcomes, particularly among claimants and respondents who may still view litigation as the default option.
- Encouraging greater use of the IRB process, with an emphasis on reducing the number of cases that proceed to court unnecessarily.
- Expanding and embedding mediation as a practical and effective method of resolving disputes earlier in the claims journey.
- Using data and research more actively to inform policy, support guideline reviews, and improve transparency across the system.
- Continuously improving services, including digital processes, customer experience, and accessibility.
Rather than proposing radical structural change, the strategic direction focuses on delivery and consolidation. The emphasis is on making existing reforms work better in practice, supported by evidence, clearer communication, and closer alignment with broader government policy on insurance and personal injury reform. For most users of the system, the impact of this approach is likely to be felt through incremental but meaningful improvements in how claims are handled over the coming years.
A stronger voice in personal injury guidelines
One of the most significant developments expected to emerge from the current reform programme is a more formal role for the Injuries Resolution Board in the ongoing review of personal injury compensation levels.
Under planned legislative changes, the Board is expected to become a mandatory consultee in future reviews of the Personal Injuries Guidelines. This reflects a growing recognition that the IRB is uniquely placed to contribute evidence-based insights, drawing on its extensive dataset of resolved claims across a wide range of injury types.
A stronger voice for the IRB in this area is likely to bring several practical effects:
- Greater use of real-world claims data to inform guideline reviews, rather than relying primarily on court decisions alone.
- More structured and transparent review processes, with clearer justification for any changes to compensation levels.
- Improved consistency between awards made by the Board and those awarded by the courts, reducing uncertainty for all parties.
For claimants, respondents, and insurers, this evolution may result in compensation guidelines that are more closely aligned with actual outcomes and societal expectations. Over time, a clearer and more predictable framework should also help to reinforce confidence in non-court resolution, supporting the wider objective of resolving personal injury claims more efficiently and proportionately.
Focus on acceptance rates and claimant behaviour
A key measure of how well the personal injury system is functioning is whether claimants are willing to accept outcomes reached outside the courts. Despite the growing role of the Injuries Resolution Board, a significant proportion of cases still proceed to litigation after an assessment has been issued, reducing the efficiency gains the system is designed to deliver.
Improving acceptance rates has therefore become a strategic priority for the Injuries Resolution Board. Planned research will examine how claimants experience the IRB process, and why some view an assessment as a fair and final outcome while others do not.
This work is expected to examine claimant expectations, understanding of the assessment process, and confidence in how awards are calculated. It may also consider the influence of legal advice, communication, and the timing of key decisions within the claims journey.
By gaining a clearer picture of claimant behaviour, the Board aims to identify practical improvements that make the process more transparent and reassuring. Over time, this could lead to higher acceptance rates, fewer claims entering the court system, and a more predictable and efficient approach to resolving personal injury claims.
Better data, better decisions
Data is increasingly central to how personal injury policy is shaped in Ireland, and the Injuries Resolution Board is expected to play a growing role in this area. The Board’s strategic direction places strong emphasis on improving the quality, consistency, and usability of claims data.
In practical terms, this includes work to enhance reporting and explore better ways of linking data across different parts of the injury resolution system. Clearer, more reliable data should support better policy decisions, improve transparency, and help build confidence in how injury claims are assessed and resolved.
Benchmarking Ireland against other jurisdictions
Comparing personal injury compensation levels in Ireland with those in other countries has become an important part of the reform agenda. The Injuries Resolution Board is expected to contribute to further benchmarking work, building on earlier comparisons with the UK and other European jurisdictions.
Mediation and alternative dispute resolution
Mediation is expected to play an increasingly important role in how personal injury claims are resolved over the coming years. For the Injuries Resolution Board, the focus is shifting from introducing mediation to embedding it as a routine and effective part of the claims process.
Developments during this phase may include:
- Refinements to how and when mediation is offered within the IRB process.
- Greater emphasis on explaining the benefits of mediation to claimants and respondents.
- Operational improvements aimed at reducing delays and improving the overall mediation experience.
As mediation becomes more familiar and widely used, it has the potential to reduce the number of claims progressing to formal assessment or litigation. For many parties, this could mean faster resolution, lower costs, and outcomes that feel more collaborative and less adversarial.
Building public trust and awareness
Public awareness of the Injuries Resolution Board and its role in the personal injury system remains uneven, despite its growing importance. Increasing understanding of how the process works, and when it can be used, is therefore a key priority for the organisation in 2026.
Further public information and awareness campaigns are expected to focus on clarity and reassurance, helping individuals to better understand their options before turning to litigation.
What this means in practice for claimants and businesses
Taken together, these developments point towards a personal injury system that is increasingly focused on early resolution, consistency, and predictability. For claimants, this may translate into clearer expectations around compensation, better information at each stage of the process, and the prospect of resolving claims more quickly without the need for court proceedings.
For businesses, employers, and insurers, a stronger role for the Injuries Resolution Board should support greater certainty when assessing risk and managing claims. More consistent outcomes, increased use of mediation, and improved data transparency all have the potential to reduce costs and disruption, while maintaining fair and proportionate compensation for those who have been injured.
Despite these changes, professional advice will continue to play an important role. Understanding how the evolving system applies to individual circumstances will remain essential, particularly as new practices and reforms bed down over the coming years.
Require assistance with a personal injury matter?
If you are considering a personal injury claim or are already engaged with the Injuries Resolution Board process, the team at McCarthy + Co Solicitors LLP will be glad to assist you with any questions you might have about your rights, your options, and the steps involved in resolving a claim. Arrange a time to speak with a solicitor here by completing our quick and confidential online form.
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