IE
(LRC Revised)
Statutory Text (1 Articles)
Number 46 of 2003
PERSONAL INJURIES ASSESSMENT BOARD ACT 2003
REVISED
Updated to 1 December 2025
Changes to legislation
as of 10 July 2026, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.
This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the
Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003
. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under
the
Law Reform Commission Act 1975
(3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation
of statute law.
All Acts up to and including the
Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) Act 2025
(12/2025), enacted 20 November 2025,
and all statutory instruments up to and including the
Personal Injuries Resolution Board (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
(S.I. No. 557 of 2025), made 21 November 2025,
were considered in the preparation of this Revised Act.
Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act,
the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees,
undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature
of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from
any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email
to
revisedacts@lawreform.ie.
Number
46
of
2003
PERSONAL INJURIES ASSESSMENT BOARD ACT 2003
REVISED
Updated to 1 December 2025
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
PART 1
Preliminary and General
Section
1.
Short title.
2.
Commencement.
3.
Civil actions to which Act applies.
3A.
Civil actions to which Act does not apply.
4.
Interpretation.
5.
Regulations.
6.
Savings.
7.
Obtaining of legal advice.
8.
Expenses.
PART 2
Mandatory Assessment Procedures in respect of Certain Civil Actions
Chapter 1
Mandatory applications for assessment
9.
“Relevant claim”.
10.
What this Chapter does.
11.
Application for assessment.
12.
Bar on bringing proceedings unless certain conditions are satisfied.
13.
Notification of application to respondent and ascertainment of his or her wishes.
14.
Procedures on foot of notification under
section 13
.
15.
Procedures if not everyone of 2 or more respondents consents to assessment being made.
16.
Making of, or omission to make, statement referred to in
section 14
not an admission of liability.
17.
Discretion of Board not to arrange for making of assessment.
18.
Presumption as to capacity of claimant and respondent.
Chapter 1A
Mediation
18A.
Application and definitions.
18B.
Mediation process.
18C.
Mediation outcome and report.
18D.
Appointment of mediators.
18E.
Provisions relating to mediators.
18F.
Power of the Board to make procedural rules relating to
mediation.
Chapter 2
Procedure for
assessment
19.
What this Chapter contains.
20.
Assessment.
21.
Section 20
: supplemental provisions.
22.
Power to impose charges.
23.
Power to require additional information, etc.
24.
Medical examination of claimant in certain circumstances.
25.
Failure to comply with a request under
section 23
or
24
.
26.
Powers to request information from third parties.
27.
Section 26
: supplemental provisions.
28.
Limited power to require certain other information.
29.
Special provision in relation to vulnerable parties.
30.
Parties to indicate whether or not they accept assessment.
31.
Deemed acceptance or non-acceptance of assessment.
32.
Proceedings to be authorised if assessment not accepted.
33.
Assessment binding on parties unless
section 32
applies.
34.
Position of respondent or respondents who do not accept assessment.
35.
Approval of court required for certain assessments.
36.
Authorisation to bring proceedings where assessment not approved.
37.
Certain statements, etc., not to prejudice claimant or respondent.
38.
Enforceability of assessment.
Chapter 3
Legal status of order to pay, etc.
39.
What this Chapter specifies.
40.
Primary legal effect of order to pay.
41.
Order to pay to operate as satisfaction of claimant's claim.
42.
Application of section 22 of Act of 1961 (claims for contributions between concurrent
wrongdoers).
43.
Application of section 18 of Act of 1961.
Chapter 4
Miscellaneous
44.
Expenses incurred by claimant.
45.
Fees or expenses where direction referred to in
section 30(3)
given.
46.
Rules.
47.
Withdrawal of application under
section 11
.
48.
Assessment of relevant claims where proceedings concerned brought before commencement
of
section 6
.
49.
Assessments to be made expeditiously.
49A.
Assessment of relevant claims where long term prognosis is awaited.
50.
Reckoning of time for purposes of Statute of Limitations 1957, etc.
51.
Non-admissibility of assessment in evidence.
51A.
Costs in proceedings where assessment not accepted by claimant.
51B.
Costs in connection with application under section 11 not taxable.
51C.
Costs in proceedings where claimant or respondent does not comply with request of
assessors.
PART 3
Personal Injuries Assessment Board
Chapter 1
Establishment and principal functions of Board
52.
Establishment day.
53.
Personal Injuries Assessment Board.
54.
Functions of Board.
54A.
Requiring certain persons to provide information.
55.
Conferral of additional functions on Board.
Chapter 2
Composition of Board
56.
Membership of Board.
57.
Supplemental provisions as to membership of Board.
58.
Chairperson of Board.
59.
Vice-chairperson.
Chapter 3
Meetings and committees
60.
Meetings of Board.
61.
Committees of Board.
62.
Supplemental provisions as to committees of Board.
Chapter 4
Management of Board
63.
Chief executive.
64.
Supplemental provisions in relation to chief executive.
65.
Accountability of chief executive to Committee of Public Accounts.
66.
Accountability of chief executive to other Oireachtas Committees.
Chapter 5
Staff of Board and superannuation matters
67.
Staff of Board.
68.
Superannuation.
Chapter 6
Supplemental provisions with regard to Board's administration and management
69.
Indemnification of certain persons.
70.
Membership of either House of the Oireachtas, etc.
71.
Disclosure of interests.
72.
Section 71
: supplemental provisions.
73.
Disclosure of information.
73A.
Board shall provide information requested by Minister.
Chapter 7
Financial provisions
74.
Grants to Board.
74A.
Remittance by Board of moneys to Minister.
75.
Borrowings by Board.
76.
Accounts.
77.
Further provisions with respect to accounts (including their audit).
78.
Strategic plans.
PART 4
Miscellaneous
79.
Service of documents.
80.
Consultants and advisers.
80A.
Offences: false or misleading information.
81.
Penalties.
82.
Representation of Board in applications under
section 27
.
83.
Annual report.
84.
Amendment of Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 1993.
85.
Amendment of Taxes Consolidation Act 1997.
86.
Supply of information to, or from, central database.
Acts Referred to
Civil Liability Act 1961
1961, No. 41
Civil Service Commissioners Act 1956
1956, No. 45
Civil Service Regulation Act 1956
1956, No. 46
Companies Acts 1963 to 2001
Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993
1993, No. 8
Courts Act 1981
1981, No. 11
Data Protection Act 1988
1988, No. 25
Debtors (Ireland) Act 1840
1840, Vict. c. 105
European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003
2003, No. 20
European Parliament Elections Act 1997
1997, No. 2
Garda Síochána (Compensation) Acts 1941 and 1945
Health (Eastern Regional Health Authority) Act 1999
1999, No. 13
Local Government Act 2001
2001, No. 37
Road Traffic Act 1961
1961, No. 24
Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 1993
1993, No. 27
Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2003
2003, No. 4
Statute of Limitations 1957
1957, No. 6
Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Act 1991
1991, No. 18
Taxes Consolidation Act 1997
1997, No. 39
Number
46
of
2003
PERSONAL INJURIES ASSESSMENT BOARD ACT 2003
REVISED
Updated to 1 December 2025
AN ACT TO ENABLE, IN CERTAIN
SITUATIONS, THE MAKING OF ASSESSMENTS, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR LEGAL PROCEEDINGS TO BE
BROUGHT
IN THAT BEHALF, OF COMPENSATION FOR PERSONAL INJURIES (OR BOTH SUCH INJURIES AND PROPERTY
DAMAGE), IN THOSE SITUATIONS TO PROHIBIT, IN THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMON GOOD, THE
BRINGING
OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS UNLESS ANY OF THE PARTIES CONCERNED DECIDES NOT TO ACCEPT THE
PARTICULAR ASSESSMENT OR CERTAIN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES APPLY, TO PROVIDE FOR THE ENFORCEMENT
OF SUCH AN ASSESSMENT, FOR THOSE PURPOSES TO ESTABLISH A BODY TO BE KNOWN AS THE PERSONAL
INJURIES ASSESSMENT BOARD AND TO DEFINE ITS FUNCTIONS AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS.
[28
th December
, 2003]
BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS
Annotations
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1
Name of Personal Injuries
Assessment Board changed (14.12.2023) by
Personal Injuries Resolution Board Act
2022
(42/2022), s. 2, S.I. No. 626 of 2023, art. 3 and
Personal Injuries
Resolution Board Act 2022 (Change of Name of Board) Order 2023
(S.I. No.
627 of 2023), art. 2
Change of name of Board
2. (1) The Personal Injuries
Assessment Board, shall on and from such day as the Minister appoints by order be
known, in the Irish language, as An Bord um Réiteach Díobhálacha Pearsanta and, in
the English language, as the Personal Injuries Resolution Board.
(2) References in any enactment,
statutory instrument or legal proceedings or any other document to the Personal
Injuries Assessment Board shall, on and from such date as the Minister appoints
under
subsection (1)
be read as references, in the Irish language, to An
Bord um Réiteach Díobhálacha Pearsanta or, in the English language, to the
Personal Injuries Resolution Board.
C2
Act applied with
modifications and references construed (10.04.2023) by
Garda Síochána
(Compensation) Act 2022
(33/2022), ss. 19, 20, 21(2), S.I. No. 163 of 2023.
Application of Act of
2003
19.
In relation to an
application to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board to which section
14(11)(c) or section 18(6)(c) applies—
(
a
) the Act of 2003 shall,
subject to this section and section 20, apply to, and in relation to, the
application, and
(
b
) the Garda Commissioner
shall be liable to pay any charges imposed by the Personal Injuries Assessment
Board pursuant to regulations under
section 22
of the Act of 2003 on a
claimant within the meaning of that Act to whom that application relates.
Modifications to application of
Act of 2003
20.
The Act of 2003 shall
apply to, and in relation to, an application to which section 19 refers, subject
to the following modifications and any other necessary modifications
(
a
) it shall be read as if
the words “, in respect of a wrong,” in the definition of “civil action” in
section 4(1)
of the Act of 2003 were deleted;
(
b
) an application to
which section 19 refers shall be deemed to be an application made by the claimant
under
section 11
of the Act of 2003;
(
c
) it shall be read as if
subsection (5)
of
section 11
of the Act of 2003 were deleted;
(
d
) it shall be read as if
the words “rules under section 46(3)” and the words “or rules” in
section
12(1)
of the Act of 2003 were deleted;
(
e
) it shall be read as if
any reference to “respondent” were a reference to the Garda Commissioner, or to
any person entitled, by or under any enactment, to act on behalf of the Garda
Commissioner in an action to which
section 3(aa)
of the Act of 2003
applies;
(
f
) it shall be read as if
section 13(1)(b)(iii)
of the Act of 2003 were deleted;
(
g
) it shall be read as if
the reference in
section 20(1)
of the Act of 2003 to the assumption that
the respondent or respondents are fully liable to the claimant in respect of the
claim is a reference to the assumption that the Garda Commissioner, or any person
entitled, by or under any enactment, to act on behalf of the Garda Commissioner in
an action to which
section 3(aa)
of the Act of 2003 applies, is fully
liable to pay any award of damages made to the claimant in respect of the
claim;
(
h
) it shall be read as if
section 50
of the Act of 2003 were deleted.
Amendment of Act of
2003
21.
— ...
(2) A reference in the Act of 2003
to—
(
a
) “this Act” shall,
where applicable and where the context so requires, include a reference to “this
Act, as applied by section 19 of the Act of 2022”,
(
b
) “this Part” shall,
where applicable and where the context so requires, include a reference to “this
Part, as applied by section 19 of the Act of 2022”, and
(
c
) “this section” shall,
where applicable and where the context so requires, include a reference to “this
section, as applied by section 19 of the Act of 2022
C3
Personal Injuries Assessment Board designated a prescribed body (1.05.2006) by
Personal Injuries Assessment Board by Official Languages Act 2003 (Public Bodies)
Regulations 2006
(S.I. No. 150 of 2006), art. 2 and sch. 1.
2. The bodies, organisations and groups specified in Schedule 1 to these Regulations
are prescribed for the purposes of paragraph 1(5) of the First Schedule to the
Official Languages Act 2003
(No. 32 of 2003).
Schedule 1
...
Personal Injuries Assessment Board
...
Editorial Notes
E1
Payment of compensation awards made subject to recovery of certain illness-related
social welfare payments by
Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005
(26/2005), Part 11B (ss. 343L to 343W) as inserted (1.08.2014) by
Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2013
(38/2013), s. 13, S.I. No. 308 of 2013.
E2
Personal Injuries Assessment Board prescribed as person for purposes of
Finance Act 1993
(13/1993), s. 60(3) (3.09.2009) by
Finance Act 1993 (Section 60) Regulations 2009
(S.I. No. 382 of 2009) (access to motor license records established under section).
Annotations
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1
Name of Personal Injuries
Assessment Board changed (14.12.2023) by
Personal Injuries Resolution Board Act
2022
(42/2022), s. 2, S.I. No. 626 of 2023, art. 3 and
Personal Injuries
Resolution Board Act 2022 (Change of Name of Board) Order 2023
(S.I. No.
627 of 2023), art. 2
Change of name of Board
2. (1) The Personal Injuries
Assessment Board, shall on and from such day as the Minister appoints by order be
known, in the Irish language, as An Bord um Réiteach Díobhálacha Pearsanta and, in
the English language, as the Personal Injuries Resolution Board.
(2) References in any enactment,
statutory instrument or legal proceedings or any other document to the Personal
Injuries Assessment Board shall, on and from such date as the Minister appoints
under
subsection (1)
be read as references, in the Irish language, to An
Bord um Réiteach Díobhálacha Pearsanta or, in the English language, to the
Personal Injuries Resolution Board.
C2
Act applied with
modifications and references construed (10.04.2023) by
Garda Síochána
(Compensation) Act 2022
(33/2022), ss. 19, 20, 21(2), S.I. No. 163 of 2023.
Application of Act of
2003
19.
In relation to an
application to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board to which section
14(11)(c) or section 18(6)(c) applies—
(
a
) the Act of 2003 shall,
subject to this section and section 20, apply to, and in relation to, the
application, and
(
b
) the Garda Commissioner
shall be liable to pay any charges imposed by the Personal Injuries Assessment
Board pursuant to regulations under
section 22
of the Act of 2003 on a
claimant within the meaning of that Act to whom that application relates.
Modifications to application of
Act of 2003
20.
The Act of 2003 shall
apply to, and in relation to, an application to which section 19 refers, subject
to the following modifications and any other necessary modifications
(
a
) it shall be read as if
the words “, in respect of a wrong,” in the definition of “civil action” in
section 4(1)
of the Act of 2003 were deleted;
(
b
) an application to
which section 19 refers shall be deemed to be an application made by the claimant
under
section 11
of the Act of 2003;
(
c
) it shall be read as if
subsection (5)
of
section 11
of the Act of 2003 were deleted;
(
d
) it shall be read as if
the words “rules under section 46(3)” and the words “or rules” in
section
12(1)
of the Act of 2003 were deleted;
(
e
) it shall be read as if
any reference to “respondent” were a reference to the Garda Commissioner, or to
any person entitled, by or under any enactment, to act on behalf of the Garda
Commissioner in an action to which
section 3(aa)
of the Act of 2003
applies;
(
f
) it shall be read as if
section 13(1)(b)(iii)
of the Act of 2003 were deleted;
(
g
) it shall be read as if
the reference in
section 20(1)
of the Act of 2003 to the assumption that
the respondent or respondents are fully liable to the claimant in respect of the
claim is a reference to the assumption that the Garda Commissioner, or any person
entitled, by or under any enactment, to act on behalf of the Garda Commissioner in
an action to which
section 3(aa)
of the Act of 2003 applies, is fully
liable to pay any award of damages made to the claimant in respect of the
claim;
(
h
) it shall be read as if
section 50
of the Act of 2003 were deleted.
Amendment of Act of
2003
21.
— ...
(2) A reference in the Act of 2003
to—
(
a
) “this Act” shall,
where applicable and where the context so requires, include a reference to “this
Act, as applied by section 19 of the Act of 2022”,
(
b
) “this Part” shall,
where applicable and where the context so requires, include a reference to “this
Part, as applied by section 19 of the Act of 2022”, and
(
c
) “this section” shall,
where applicable and where the context so requires, include a reference to “this
section, as applied by section 19 of the Act of 2022
C3
Personal Injuries Assessment Board designated a prescribed body (1.05.2006) by
Personal Injuries Assessment Board by Official Languages Act 2003 (Public Bodies)
Regulations 2006
(S.I. No. 150 of 2006), art. 2 and sch. 1.
2. The bodies, organisations and groups specified in Schedule 1 to these Regulations
are prescribed for the purposes of paragraph 1(5) of the First Schedule to the
Official Languages Act 2003
(No. 32 of 2003).
Schedule 1
...
Personal Injuries Assessment Board
...
Editorial Notes
E1
Payment of compensation awards made subject to recovery of certain illness-related
social welfare payments by
Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005
(26/2005), Part 11B (ss. 343L to 343W) as inserted (1.08.2014) by
Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2013
(38/2013), s. 13, S.I. No. 308 of 2013.
E2
Personal Injuries Assessment Board prescribed as person for purposes of
Finance Act 1993
(13/1993), s. 60(3) (3.09.2009) by
Finance Act 1993 (Section 60) Regulations 2009
(S.I. No. 382 of 2009) (access to motor license records established under section).
Section
1.
Short title.
2.
Commencement.
3.
Civil actions to which Act applies.
3A.
Civil actions to which Act does not apply.
4.
Interpretation.
5.
Regulations.
6.
Savings.
7.
Obtaining of legal advice.
8.
Expenses.
PART 2
Mandatory Assessment Procedures in respect of Certain Civil Actions
Chapter 1
Mandatory applications for assessment
9.
“Relevant claim”.
10.
What this Chapter does.
11.
Application for assessment.
12.
Bar on bringing proceedings unless certain conditions are satisfied.
13.
Notification of application to respondent and ascertainment of his or her wishes.
14.
Procedures on foot of notification under
section 13
.
15.
Procedures if not everyone of 2 or more respondents consents to assessment being made.
16.
Making of, or omission to make, statement referred to in
section 14
not an admission of liability.
17.
Discretion of Board not to arrange for making of assessment.
18.
Presumption as to capacity of claimant and respondent.
Chapter 1A
Mediation
18A.
Application and definitions.
18B.
Mediation process.
18C.
Mediation outcome and report.
18D.
Appointment of mediators.
18E.
Provisions relating to mediators.
18F.
Power of the Board to make procedural rules relating to
mediation.
Chapter 2
Procedure for
assessment
19.
What this Chapter contains.
20.
Assessment.
21.
Section 20
: supplemental provisions.
22.
Power to impose charges.
23.
Power to require additional information, etc.
24.
Medical examination of claimant in certain circumstances.
25.
Failure to comply with a request under
section 23
or
24
.
26.
Powers to request information from third parties.
27.
Section 26
: supplemental provisions.
28.
Limited power to require certain other information.
29.
Special provision in relation to vulnerable parties.
30.
Parties to indicate whether or not they accept assessment.
31.
Deemed acceptance or non-acceptance of assessment.
32.
Proceedings to be authorised if assessment not accepted.
33.
Assessment binding on parties unless
section 32
applies.
34.
Position of respondent or respondents who do not accept assessment.
35.
Approval of court required for certain assessments.
36.
Authorisation to bring proceedings where assessment not approved.
37.
Certain statements, etc., not to prejudice claimant or respondent.
38.
Enforceability of assessment.
Chapter 3
Legal status of order to pay, etc.
39.
What this Chapter specifies.
40.
Primary legal effect of order to pay.
41.
Order to pay to operate as satisfaction of claimant's claim.
42.
Application of section 22 of Act of 1961 (claims for contributions between concurrent
wrongdoers).
43.
Application of section 18 of Act of 1961.
Chapter 4
Miscellaneous
44.
Expenses incurred by claimant.
45.
Fees or expenses where direction referred to in
section 30(3)
given.
46.
Rules.
47.
Withdrawal of application under
section 11
.
48.
Assessment of relevant claims where proceedings concerned brought before commencement
of
section 6
.
49.
Assessments to be made expeditiously.
49A.
Assessment of relevant claims where long term prognosis is awaited.
50.
Reckoning of time for purposes of Statute of Limitations 1957, etc.
51.
Non-admissibility of assessment in evidence.
51A.
Costs in proceedings where assessment not accepted by claimant.
51B.
Costs in connection with application under section 11 not taxable.
51C.
Costs in proceedings where claimant or respondent does not comply with request of
assessors.
PART 3
Personal Injuries Assessment Board
Chapter 1
Establishment and principal functions of Board
52.
Establishment day.
53.
Personal Injuries Assessment Board.
54.
Functions of Board.
54A.
Requiring certain persons to provide information.
55.
Conferral of additional functions on Board.
Chapter 2
Composition of Board
56.
Membership of Board.
57.
Supplemental provisions as to membership of Board.
58.
Chairperson of Board.
59.
Vice-chairperson.
Chapter 3
Meetings and committees
60.
Meetings of Board.
61.
Committees of Board.
62.
Supplemental provisions as to committees of Board.
Chapter 4
Management of Board
63.
Chief executive.
64.
Supplemental provisions in relation to chief executive.
65.
Accountability of chief executive to Committee of Public Accounts.
66.
Accountability of chief executive to other Oireachtas Committees.
Chapter 5
Staff of Board and superannuation matters
67.
Staff of Board.
68.
Superannuation.
Chapter 6
Supplemental provisions with regard to Board's administration and management
69.
Indemnification of certain persons.
70.
Membership of either House of the Oireachtas, etc.
71.
Disclosure of interests.
72.
Section 71
: supplemental provisions.
73.
Disclosure of information.
73A.
Board shall provide information requested by Minister.
Chapter 7
Financial provisions
74.
Grants to Board.
74A.
Remittance by Board of moneys to Minister.
75.
Borrowings by Board.
76.
Accounts.
77.
Further provisions with respect to accounts (including their audit).
78.
Strategic plans.
PART 4
Miscellaneous
79.
Service of documents.
80.
Consultants and advisers.
80A.
Offences: false or misleading information.
81.
Penalties.
82.
Representation of Board in applications under
section 27
.
83.
Annual report.
84.
Amendment of Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 1993.
85.
Amendment of Taxes Consolidation Act 1997.
86.
Supply of information to, or from, central database.