Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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An important piece of the work done by the Oireachtas committee and the working group was to focus on the consumer from the get go, and ensure everything we endeavour to do is to protect their interests in being able to get insurance at an affordable rate. With regard to the attitude of the insurance industry and the companies, I have had nothing but positive assistance from individual insurance companies in trying to help understand the difficulties they were facing so I could understand their problems, because we also hear from the other side with regard to stakeholders affected by this. I had to have a number of robust discussions with Insurance Ireland, the representative body, but I have noticed a change in its attitude since our discussions began. As the committee will see from the action plan, it is involved with some of the actions. I can spell out the detailed work already under way, but Insurance Ireland is co-operating with us in a very positive manner and I am glad to see it. The relevant Department, as the lead owner, will always drive this to ensure the insurance industry works at the same pace as us.

I have never had a question about the Central Bank's ability to regulate and protect in so far as the industry is concerned, but I note it is now doing more. It will host the national claims information database that will come online next year.

The working group never spoke about an immediate reversal in the increase in premiums. We knew this could not be possible as the Government could not step in and set the price because of the various issues the committee has discussed in detail. We have shown determination and we have 71 actions with a detailed timeline and much support behind them to get them done. We know what we want to achieve, we know how we will achieve it and I am quite confident we can do so.

The Chairman spoke about employers and mentioned pubs. While we were doing our work we received correspondence from people with regard to employers' liability. Although the report relates to motor insurance, work is happening already which will relate to public and employers' liability, such as the personal injuries commission. This is very important work. It will feed across to the sector. We have already begun to plan out the terms of reference for engagement with the industry on employers' liability. We will meet our first stakeholders in this regard very shortly. I have met some of them informally already.

I have a detailed update of the work already commenced, because certain actions have a deadline in the first quarter of this year. Will I read it into the record?