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Uimhir 3 de 1956.
AN tACHT DÍOBHÁLA MARFACHA, 1956.
[An tiontó oifigiúil.]
Tosach feidhme.
1.—(1) Tiocfaidh an tAcht seo i ngníomh an chéad lá d'Aibreán, 1956.
(2) Ní bheidh feidhm ag an Acht seo maidir le bás aon duine roimh thosach feidhme an Achta seo.
Minithe.
2.—(1) San Acht seo—
ciallaíonn “cleithiúnaí”, maidir le duine ar gníomh éagórach, faillí nó mainneachtain ba chúis lena bhás, aon chomhalta de theaghlach an éagaigh ar bhain cailliúint dó;
ciallaíonn “comhalta den teaghlach” bean chéile, fear céile, athair, máthair, seanathair, seanmháthair, leasathair, leasmháthair, mac, iníon, ua, banua, leasmhac, leasiníon, deartháir, deirfiúr, deartháir leasghaolmhar, deirfiúr leasghaolmhar;
folaíonn “gníomh éagórach, fáillí nó mainneachtain” coir.
(2) Nuair a bheas aon ghaolmhaireacht á rianú chun críocha an Achta seo—
(a) measfar gur sliocht dlisteaneach an uchtóra nó na n-uchtóirí duine a huchtaíodh faoin Acht Uchtála, 1952 (Uimh. 25 de 1952);
(b) faoi réir míre (a), measfar gur sliocht dlisteanach a mháthar agus a athar thoimhdean duine mídhlisteanach;
(c) duine atá in loco parentis do dhuine eile, measfar gurb é tuismitheoir an duine eile sin é.
Caingean más gníomh éagórach, faillí nó mainneachtain ba chúis le bás duine.
3.—(1) Más é ba chúis le bás duine gníomh éagórach, faillí nó mainneachtain duine eile de shaghas a bhéarfadh teideal don pháirtí a díobháladh, mura mbeadh a bhás, caingean a shuíomh agus damáistí a ghnóthú ina leith, dlífear caingean i leith damáistí a thionscnamh i gcoinne an duine a bheadh faoi dhliteanas amhlaidh ar mhaithe le cleithiúnaithe an éagaigh.
(2) Ní féidir ach an t-aon chaingean amháin a thionscnamh i leith an bháis.
(3) Féadfaidh ionadaí pearsanta an éagaigh an caingean a thionscnamh nó más rud é, i gceann sé mhí tar éis an bháis, nach mbeidh aon ionadaí pearsanta ann nó nach mbeidh an t-ionadaí pearsanta tar éis aon chaingean a thionscnamh, féadfaidh gach duine nó aon duine de na cleithiúnaithe é a thionscnamh.
(4) Is caingean ar mhaithe leis na cleithiúnaithe uile an caingean, pé duine a thionscnós é.
(5) Bhéarfaidh an gearánaí don chosantóir sonraí an duine nó na ndaoine a bhfuil an caingean á thionscnamh dó nó dóibh agus thar a cheann nó thar a gceann, agus sonraí an chineál éilimh a bhfuiltear ag iarraidh damáistí a ghnóthú ina leith.
(6) Tosnófar an caingean laistigh de thrí bliana tar éis an bháis.
Damáistí.
4.—(1) Is é a bheas sna damáistí faoi alt 3 méid iomlán pé suimeanna is dóigh leis an ngiúiré nó leis an mbreitheamh, do réir mar bheas, a bheith i gcomhréir leis an díobháil a bhain de dheasca an bháis do gach duine de na cleithiúnaithe, faoi seach, ar tionscnadh an caingean dó nó thar a cheann, agus luafar ar leithligh sa dámhachtain gach suim acu sin.
(2) Ina theannta sin, féadfar damáistí a dhámhachtain i leith costas adhlaicthe agus costas eile faoina ndeachaigh an t-éagach, na cleithiúnaithe nó an t-ionadaí pearsanta, iarbhír, mar gheall ar an ngníomh éagórach, an fhaillí nó an mhainneachtain.
(3) Nuair a bheas cosantóir ag íoc airgid isteach sa chúirt i leith an chaingin, is leor dó é d'íoc in aon tsuim amháin mar chúiteamh do na cleithiúnaithe uile gan é a chionroinnt eatorthu.
(4) Déanfar an tsuim a gnóthófar sa chaingean a roinnt, tar éis na costais nár gnóthaíodh ón gcosantóir a bhaint di, ar na daoine a bheas ina teideal, i pé scaireanna a bheas cinnte ag an ngiúiré nó ag an mbreitheamh, do réir mar bheas.
Suimeanna nach gcuirfear san áireamh le linn damáistí a mheasúnú.
5.—Nuair a beifear ag measúnú damáistí faoin Acht seo, ní cuirfear san áireamh—
(a) aon tsuim dob iníoctha ar bhás an éagaigh faoi aon chonradh árachais,
(b) aon phinsean, aisce ná sochar eile dá samhail dob iníoctha faoi reacht nó eile de bhíthin báis an éagaigh.
An chúis chaingin do mharthain i ndiaidh báis.
6.—(1) Ní dliteanas air féin amháin dliteanas aon duine faoin Acht seo, ná ní chuirfidh a bhás deireadh leis an dliteanas ach leanfaidh sé tar éis a bháis agus beidh ina dhliteanas ar a eastát réadach agus pearsanta amhail mar bheadh, agus leis an tosaíocht chéanna lena mbeadh, fiach nó dliteanas eile faoi chonradh simplí, agus féadfar imeachta faoin Acht seo a thionscnamh i gcoinne a ionadaí phearsanta ina leith.
(2) Ní raghaidh imeachta a tionscnófar i gcoinne aon duine faoin Acht seo ar ceal ar é d'fháil bháis, ach féadfar leanúint díobh i gcoinne a ionadaí phearsanta.
Bás de dheasca feithicil Stáit a bheith á tiomáint go faillíoch.
7.—(1) Más é ba chúis le bás duine feithicil inneallghluaiste leis an Stát a bheith á tiomáint, á hionramháil nó á rialú go faillíoch, dlífear caingean i leith damáistí faoin Acht seo ar mhaithe le cleithiúnaithe an éagaigh a thionscnamh i gcoinne an Aire Airgeadais.
(2) D'ainneoin aon ní in aon achtachán eile, féadfar na himeachta a thionscnamh i gcoinne an Aire Airgeadais, gan fiat an Ard-Aighne d'fháil.
(3) Gach pléadáil i gcosaint a bheadh inúsáidte ag máistir ar a n-agrófaí damáistí i leith faillí a sheirbhísigh (lena n-áirítear pléadáil go ndearnadh faillí rannpháirteach agus, freisin, pléadála á aighniú nach i gcúrsa a fhostaíochta a bhí an duine ag gníomhú a bhfuiltear ag éileamh na ndamáistí i leith a fhaillí), beidh sí inúsáidte ag an Aire Airgeadais agus, má cruthaítear í, is cosaint mhaith í amhail is dá mba é an tAire máistir an duine sin iarbhír.
(4) Ní oibreoidh aon ní san alt seo chun aon duine a shaoradh ó dhliteanas i leith cailliúna a bhain dó de dheasca a fhaillí féin.
Oiriúnú tagairtí d'Achta athghairmthe.
8.—Forléireofar mar thagairt don Acht seo tagairt in aon achtachán do na Fatal Accidents Acts, 1846 to 1908, nó d'aon cheann acu.
Athghairm.
9.—Athghairmtear leis seo na hachtacháin dá dtagartar sa Sceideal a ghabhas leis an Acht seo a mhéid a sonraítear i gcolún (3).
Gearrtheideal.
10.—Féadfar an tAcht Díobhála Marfacha, 1956, a ghairm den Acht seo.
AN SCEIDEAL.
Achtacháin a hAthghairmtear.
Siosón agus Caibidil nó Uimhir agus Bliain. | Gearrtheideal. | Méid na hAthghairme. |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
9 & 10 Vic., c. 93. | Fatal Accidents Act, 1846. | An tAcht iomlán. |
27 & 28 Vic., c. 95. | Fatal Accidents Act, 1864. | An tAcht iomlán. |
8 Edw. 7, c. 7. | Fatal Accidents (Damages) Act, 1908. | An tAcht iomlán. |
Alt 83. | ||
Mír (a) d'alt 28. |
Number 3 of 1956.
FATAL INJURIES ACT, 1956.
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Section | |
Action where death caused by wrongful act, neglect, or default. | |
Enactments Repealed.
Act Referred to | |
No. 25 of 1952 | |
Number 3 of 1956.
FATAL INJURIES ACT, 1956.
Commencement.
1.—(1) This Act shall come into operation on the first day of April, 1956.
(2) This Act shall not apply in relation to the death of any person before the commencement of this Act.
Definitions.
2.—(1) In this Act—
“dependant”, in relation to a person whose death is caused by a wrongful act, neglect, or default, means any member of the family of the deceased who suffers loss;
“member of the family” means wife, husband, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, stepfather, stepmother, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, stepson, stepdaughter, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister;
“wrongful act, neglect, or default” includes a crime.
(2) In deducing any relationship for the purposes of this Act,—
(a) a person adopted under the Adoption Act, 1952 (No. 25 of 1952),
shall be considered the legitimate offspring of the adopter or adopters;
(b) subject to paragraph (a), an illegitimate person shall be considered the legitimate offspring of his mother and reputed father;
(c) a person in loco parentis to another shall be considered the parent of that other.
Action where death caused by wrongful act, neglect, or default.
3.—(1) Where the death of a person is caused by the wrongful act, neglect, or default of another such as would have entitled the party injured, but for his death, to maintain an action and recover damages in respect thereof, the person who would have been so liable shall be liable to an action for damages for the benefit of the dependants of the deceased.
(2) Only one action may be brought in respect of the death.
(3) The action may be brought by the personal representative of the deceased or if, at the expiration of six months from the death, there is no personal representative or no action has been brought by the personal representative, by all or any of the dependants.
(4) The action, by whomsoever brought, shall be for the benefit of all the dependants.
(5) The plaintiff shall furnish the defendant with particulars of the person or persons for whom and on whose behalf the action is brought and of the nature of the claim in respect of which damages are sought to be recovered.
(6) The action shall be commenced within three years after the death.
Damages.
4.—(1) The damages under section 3 shall be the total of such amounts as the jury or the judge, as the case may be, may think proportioned to the injury resulting from the death to each of the dependants, respectively, for whom or on whose behalf the action is brought, and each such amount shall be separately indicated in the award.
(2) In addition, damages may be awarded in respect of funeral and other expenses actually incurred by the deceased, the dependants or the personal representative by reason of the wrongful act, neglect, or default.
(3) It shall be sufficient for a defendant, in paying money into court in the action, to pay it in one sum as compensation for all the dependants without apportioning it between them.
(4) The amount recovered in the action shall, after deducting the costs not recovered from the defendant, be divided among the persons entitled in such shares as the jury or the judge, as the case may be, may have determined.
Sums not to be taken into account in assessing damages.
5.—In assessing damages under this Act account shall not be taken of—
(a) any sum payable on the death of the deceased under any contract of insurance,
(b) any pension, gratuity or other like benefit payable under statute or otherwise in consequence of the death of the deceased.
Survival of cause of action on death.
6.—(1) The liability of any person under this Act shall not be limited to himself or be terminated by his death but shall continue after his death and be a liability of his real and personal estate in like manner and with the like priority as a debt or other liability under a simple contract and proceedings under this Act may be instituted against his personal representative in respect thereof.
(2) Proceedings instituted against any person under this Act shall not abate on his death but may be continued against his personal representative.
Death caused by negligent driving of State-owned vehicle.
7.—(1) Where the death of a person is caused by the negligent driving, management or control of a mechanically propelled vehicle belonging to the State, the Minister for Finance shall be liable to an action for damages under this Act for the benefit of the dependants of the deceased.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other enactment, the proceedings may be brought against the Minister for Finance without obtaining the fiat of the Attorney General.
(3) Every plea in defence which would be open to a master sued for damages in respect of the negligence of his servant (including the plea of contributory negligence and also pleas to the effect that the person in respect of whose negligence the damages are claimed was not acting in the course of his employment) shall be open to the Minister for Finance and, if proved, shall be a good defence to the same extent as if the Minister were in fact the master of the said person.
(4) Nothing in this section shall operate to relieve any person from liability in respect of loss caused by his own negligence.
Adaptation of references to repealed Acts.
8.—A reference in any enactment to the Fatal Accidents Acts, 1846 to 1908, or to any of them shall be construed as a reference to this Act.
Repeals.
9.—The enactments referred to in the Schedule to this Act are, to the extent specified in column (3), hereby repealed.
Short title.
10.—This Act may be cited as the Fatal Injuries Act, 1956.
SCHEDULE.
Enactments Repealed.
Session and Chapter or Number and Year. | Short Title. | Extent of Repeal. |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
9 & 10 Vic. c. 93. | Fatal Accidents Act, 1846. | The whole Act. |
27 & 28 Vic. c. 95. | Fatal Accidents Act, 1864. | The whole Act. |
8 Edw. 7. c. 7. | Fatal Accidents (Damages) Act, 1908. | The whole Act. |
No. 48 of 1936. | ||
No. 25 of 1952. | Paragraph (a) of section 28. |