Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 19 May 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach

Developments in the Insurance Industry: Discussion

Mr. Anthony Brennan:

I would make the same point on unintended consequences. We monitor what goes on in the UK but much more important to us is the fact the CBI – the Central Bank - is currently engaged in a very detailed review of the practice here in Ireland, and we expect it to report in the coming months. I am sure what is happening in the UK will feed into its consideration and deliberations, and we will respond to that. As I said, we are fully engaged with the CBI. One of the challenges is that the FCA in the UK has said it thinks it will reduce premiums but, ultimately, if companies have a target profitability level, it will redistribute premiums. If that is the right thing to do, then that is the right thing to do. I think we will learn from the FCA and what measures it comes up with, and there are certain things we could look at across the industry here as well.