Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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On the first quarterly report, I acknowledge that three targets were missed. The key important measures, including establishment of the personal injuries commission and commencement of work on the national claims information database, which are important in the context of reform the industry, are making good progress. In regard to the three delayed measures, one has been recently completed and another is due to be completed shortly. As for the final measure, as already explained, there are difficulties around getting the data because of changes happening in regard to the courts. This is a complex task. The update in the quarterly report indicates clearly that it is not a simple task. In regard to the national claims information database, ten meetings had to take place to get the data set accurate in terms of what we were looking for from the insurance entities. We needed to ensure the database is as comprehensive as possible. It is a big piece of work. These are not simple measures that can be put in place overnight. It must be recognised that a number of actions are happening and being progressed at the same time. I would have liked to have seen a green light for all ten actions in the first quarterly report but unfortunately, in respect of three of them the light is yellow. Nevertheless, they are not the most significant actions. We are making progress on those measures.

The majority of actions under the action plan will be completed this year. In terms of the second quarter, we are making good progress. I will be happy to update the committee on that progress when the second quarterly report is published. In regard to recommendation No. 1, Insurance Ireland has been engaging with the Department of Finance on the putting in place of the protocol to communicate to customers the reasons for large increases in motor premiums. The output of this work will form the basis of a protocol. It will then be the responsibility of each insurer to communicate the details contained in the protocol to their customers. Insurance Ireland has stated that the interaction between the customer-facing systems and the underwriting systems is complex and will require significant IT infrastructural change. That said, the industry is aware that there is a need to improve communication channels. Insurance Ireland has informed Department of Finance officials that its implementation committee will have completed a draft protocol for review by the Department of Finance no later than mid-June. Included in this protocol will be access to a number of channels that will allow customers not only to understand how a premium is calculated but also what may give rise to an increase in a previous policy. We have previously discussed what percentage increase would give rise to this process. We are still in discussions with Insurance Ireland on the protocol.