Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
The High Court has been informed that there are currently no funds available to compensate Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) staff following a significant data breach that occurred two years ago. The PSNI has acknowledged responsibility for the breach, and discussions have been ongoing for a year to resolve claims arising from the incident, which led to the inadvertent exposure of personal information belonging to all 9,400 officers and staff. Edwards Solicitors, a legal firm representing many of those affected, expressed disappointment and frustration at the lack of progress in reaching a resolution.
A statement from the PSNI, read in court on Wednesday, revealed that despite approvals from the Department of Justice and the Department of Finance for a potential “universal offer” to individuals affected, the total sum required for settlements is currently beyond the PSNI’s financial capacity. As a result, the PSNI is unable to proceed with making any settlement offers. While specific details about the potential compensation were not disclosed publicly, an earlier estimate from the PSNI suggested a cost exceeding £100 million. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher reportedly met with Justice Minister Naomi Long to address the issue this week.
Philip Gordon, the Head of Litigation at Edwards Solicitors, expressed disappointment and frustration at the delayed revelation of the funding issue by the PSNI. Gordon highlighted the extended timeline since the breach occurred and the initiation of legal proceedings, with previous mentions of a pending “universal offer” not indicating any financial challenges. The Chair of the Police Federation, Liam Kelly, representing rank and file officers, described the situation as a “total mess” and called for urgent government intervention by the devolved Executive to assist in resolving the funding dispute
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.