Car settlement - cash or repair

Hi,
Someone crashed into my car while it was parked. We agreed to settle ourselves without going through solicitors and that he would pay me cash.
Now he wants me to go to a specific garage.
Also I don't know now about repairing as might look even worse as an old car and I am told will clearly look different. Am I entitled to keep the cash or am I obliged to repair?
Thanks in advance.

If it was me either cash (you need to know the cash will cover the costs of repair, don't estimate it yourself) or go through insurance. Once you get the cash you can do what you want with it.

Once people start dictating to go to garage A or B then forget it as you cannot be sure of a good repair.

You have the option to pick whatever garage you choose. You provide a quote and he pays you. You then have the choice to repair or not. If he decides to play silly buggers, or lay down conditions, go through his insurance. Bear in mind that when you're claiming against someone else's insurance, the insurance company will typically give you an additional 10% of the value of the repair as compensation for the loss invalue due to the accident.

He won't go through insurance and now won't pay me the cash. He wants to pay the garage directly himself. Can he choose this or do I have the say as to how I want to be reimbursed? What is the law?

You don't need his approval to go through insurance. Just ring your insurnance company with details of the accident and his insurnance details. You should have reported this to the gardai also at the time.

It sounds like he is a messer so I would just go through insurnance.

As long as you sign an agreement that the sum is in full and final settlement,what difference does it make to the guy paying?You could be trading the car in next week and using the cash as a reduction in value compensation.

Tell him you'll pick the garage you want. If you want to be nice, and are prepared to do the legwork, you could even give him several quotes from places you would be happy to do the work. Tell him he has the option of paying you that amount, or you'll take it to his insurance. If you do want to get it repaired, you could let him pay the place you choose. He's at fault, and has no authority over where you go, or if you even get your car repaired. The more he acts the maggot, the more I'd lean to going through his insurance as it will be less of a hassle.