GOVT SLOPPED WITH A €7.62M COMPO PAYOUT

Figures reveal bill over prison toilet practice

- GORDON DEEGAN

THE bill to the State to compensate prisoners forced to engage in the degrading practice of slopping-out totals €7.62million over a two-and-a-half year period.

Minister for Justice Simon Harris provided the figures to co-leader of the Social Democrats, Catherine Murphy TD.

Mr Harris revealed the State Claims Agency has paid out €3.94million in damages to 1,180 prisoners who were forced to "slop out".

The average payout in the two and-a-half years to the end of last June works out at an average of €3,342.

The SCA had a "scheme of settlement" in place after a 2019 Supreme Court judgment in the lead case found that the plaintiff, Gary Simpson, should be paid €7,500.