John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will wrap up. There are just some final points on this. The relationship between the insurance industry and body repair centres has not been mentioned. That is the motor aspect of this. I would like if the committee could investigate it. I am told that traditionally if one's car had got a bang, one went to the panel repair shop, they assessed it, called one's insurance company and it was approved or whatever. I am reliably informed that it is invariably centralised now. There is no wriggle room for the body repair shop in terms of increased or reduced prices. There are approved body repair shops and body repair shops that are not approved. There may be a cartel operating there. It may be a little too cosy for comfort. One cannot go to one's local garage like one used to. In many ways the damage is banded because the body repair shop says that it will take half a day or a full day but there is some work that could take an hour or two hours. It seems to be banded and I would like the committee to investigate it. Perhaps the Chairman could call someone in here. I do not know under whose remit it falls. It is at that level that a huge amount of costs arises. I suspect that in the case of the constituent whose claim was settled for €1,600, the body repair shop decided it was either a half a day's work or a day's work. That can be regulated.