A total of £1,350,497 was paid out by six councils who disclosed their pay-outs to the Belfast Telegraph, while the other five councils said they did not have a precise figure.

The highest sum was at Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, which added that it had “successfully defended over 75 per cent of the claims against us”.

The second-highest sum was at Belfast City Council, which paid out a total of £383,730.

Derry and Strabane District Council paid out £124,900, while Newry and Mourne and Down District Council paid out £123,451, Ards and North Down Borough Council paid out £81,450, and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council paid out £80,700.

The other councils said they couldn’t give a precise figure as the matter was subrogated to insurers.