Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I also congratulate my constituency colleague, Deputy Martin, on his reappointment as the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and wish him continued success in his portfolio. I congratulate too Deputy Michael Ahern on his appointment as a Minister of State at the same Department. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the people of Cork South-Central for giving me the honour and privilege of representing them in this House.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Bill 2007. I do not have a background in the legal profession or the insurance industry, which is not intended as a slight to any Deputy with either background in the House. Since the establishment of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board in 2004, it has been a central element of the Government's insurance reform programme. Its success in such a short period has been remarkable, but we have not given it enough credit for its work during this debate. The number of personal injury cases going through the courts has dropped from more than 35,000 in 2004 to fewer than 5,000 in 2005. This dramatic reduction has allowed more court resources to be used to deal with cases that must, by necessity, go through the judicial process.

The majority of people who suffer a personal injury through the negligence of others want reasonable compensation in an efficient, timely and uncomplicated manner. The judicial process is not the appropriate mechanism for dealing with the majority of such cases. This debate should not be focused on the interests of the legal profession or the insurance industry.

According to the Central Statistics Office, motor insurance premia fell by 34% between April 2003 and December 2006. Other policy initiatives contributed to this improvement, but the establishment of the PIAB has played an important role in reducing insurance premia, including tangible financial benefits for individuals and businesses. The introduction of the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004, which includes penalties for giving false or misleading evidence in personal injury cases, has provided a significant deterrent to bogus claims.

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