National debt agency takes over personal injury claims
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The National Treasury Management Agency, established by the Government three years ago to cope with the country’s national debt, has taken over responsibility for dealing with personal injury and other claims against the state. The move was confirmed today by Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy with a warning: “The state is no longer going to be the soft touch.” At the launch of the agency’s annual report in Dublin, chief executive Michael Somers reported that currently the organisation is dealing a total of 1,850 claims, 260 of which have either been settled in or out of court. Among claims catered for by the NTMA are those lodged against all state authorities, government ministers, the head of the gardaí, prisons and schools. As many as 25% of the claims now being processed relate to alleged exposure to asbestos. The agency also said today that Ireland’s debt-to-Gross National Product ratio was second only to Luxembourg within the 15 European Union states last year. During 2002, the general Government debt-to-Gross Domestic Product ratio fell by 3.8% from 36.8% at the end of the previous year. Cost of servicing the national debt was 15% lower than initially estimated, coming in at €2,169m for the year. Source : breakingnews.iol.ie |