Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Several issues arise. There was also the case of the award to the individual who dropped his trailer on himself in mart grounds and the award was made against the mart. There is a reason there is settlement of these claims. The primary reason is that the insurance companies make a calculation and decide it is cheaper to settle rather than go through the court process. This keeps going back to one aspect that we cannot avoid. As a person goes through the court process in Ireland, the awards are high. A simple calculation is performed by insurance companies. It is cheaper to settle, regardless of whether the claim is legitimate, than to go through the courts process.

The question of transparency arises. We do not have sight of the information or all the data. The area we have sight of covers the PIAB and the courts. We do not have data on what is settled on the steps of the courts or on claims settled before they get to that process.