Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Given the spikes we have seen, €50 is not a significant element. We have spoken about information and data being central to everything. Some companies claim €130 is added to every premium because of the high prevalence of whiplash claims and the high awards made. Various figures are added, including €35 for uninsured driving and €50 to €55 in respect of Setanta Insurance, depending on how the issues involved might be resolved. We have tried to obtain detailed granular information on how the figures are calculated in order that as our recommendations are worked through, we can consider how they can be lowered. There is a huge onus on the industry to front-up in providing data and information. It speaks constantly about the economic incentive to settle early, but this is causing a problem in providing an incentive for some people to chance their arm, the expression which might have been used by the Deputy, which impacts on everyone. To go back to the point made by Senator Rose Conway Walsh, let us not come out of the committee trying to support the impression which some are trying to give that the reason is people suffer from whiplash as a result of an accident. That is not the impression I would like to give. There are a number of problems in the industry. That is why a number of reforms are needed to tackle what has been happening in recent years.