Northern Ireland may join Scotland in pleural plaque stance

The fight to make pleural plaques compensatable has moved to a new front, with Northern Ireland finance minister Nigel Dodds outlining plans to change the law in the territory.

Following public consultation, Dodds said he believed thats – symptomless growths on the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos.

He said: “Clearly, we cannot turn back the clock in terms of preventing exposure to asbestos, but we can ensure that the consequences of the exposure are acknowledged and addressed. In my view, it is only just and fair that people with pleural plaques, who are ordinary, decent, hard-working people and who may be in advanced years, should be able to call to account the people who are responsible for exposing them to asbestos.

“I hope the right to claim through the courts will provide some relief to those who, through no fault of their own, are living with this condition and that it will go some way toward reducing their distress.”

A group of major insurers led by the ABI are currently seeking a judicial review of the Scottish parliament’s recent decision to make pleural plaques compensatable.