Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an rún seo atá á moladh ag mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta McGrath. Is maith an rud é go bhfuileamar ag plé leis an gceist seo. Caithfear dul i ngleic leis an ábhar seo agus srian a chur ar na costais atá de shíor ag fás. The Fianna Fáil motion, welcome as it is, requires strengthening and further detail. I shall be speaking on the amendment proposed by Deputy Doherty.

This afternoon, before speaking this evening, I asked people to contact me via social media about their motor insurance experiences. The response, not surprisingly, was enormous, with hundreds of reactions and dozens and dozens of messages. There is a great deal of anger and frustration out there at what people feel is an insurance cartel, seeking a bigger margin or a bigger profit and mercilessly squeezing motorists, particularly young returned emigrants and those who are over 65 years of age. This is part of a wider cost of living crisis for many families when one takes into account rent, health insurance, third level fees and much more.

Drivers have seen increases of, on average, 60% in the cost of premiums since January 2014. However, I am aware of many cases in which premiums have increased by multiples of that, with some increases in the region of 200% and 300% on quotes from two years previously, as referred to by Deputy Doherty. I know of one particular case of a man who had gone abroad for a couple of years and on returning was quoted €4,500, which was the best price he could get. That person had ten years' driving experience and a four-year no claims record in Ireland, and was able to prove that he was insured and without claims the entire time he was out of the State. He returned to what can only be described as an utterly outrageous quotation. I gcás eile, dúradh le fear a labhair liom go mbeadh táille idir €4,500 agus €6,000 ann. Dúirt sé liom go raibh sé réidh le dul ar ais ar an eitleán agus le himeacht thar lear arís. This is a person who returned to set up an electrical business. He left Ireland due to a lack of work and returned to try to create employment, but this is the obstacle he was faced with.

This is an enormous issue. Numerous people who have contacted me are able to prove that they were insured while abroad and that they had a no claims record which was disregarded by insurers when it came to quotes. Tá an t-árachas éigeantach sa Stát seo, agus má tiomáineann daoine gan árachas bíonn duine i mbaol finéalacha suntasacha agus bheith faoi cosc ar feadh i bhfad.

As we have stated in our motion, it is notable that although insurance is mandatory, there is no State provider. We have reached the point at which people are being priced out of the market, and all motorists have been affected by the increases. The impact of this situation is quite substantial, especially in more rural areas where private transport is an absolute necessity. Older people in particular are at a distinct disadvantage in this regard, particularly after the age of 65. There are plenty of examples in which people have been quoted 70%, 80% or 90% increases over the past two years, and I know Age Action Ireland has been very vocal on this issue in the past.

This prevents younger people from gaining employment, as they may have no other way of getting to and from their place of work. It appears that the benchmark 25% loading on premiums for those who are over 75 years of age and those under 25 has been shelved, and it is a case of "whatever you're having yourself". There are also plenty of cases in which insurance companies have refused to give quotes to people who are deemed to be in so-called higher risk brackets, or have given quotes that essentially tell a person that the insurer does not want their business. This is also an issue for the self-employed and those running their own businesses. I have encountered start-ups that require insured cars. They have found this cost a huge burden, as have professional drivers and taxi drivers. I am aware that some of those drivers have been quoted a €1,000 increase on what they paid last year.

D'fhéadfaí go mbeadh daoine curtha as obair de bharr an méadú mí-réasúnta agus éagórach ina phréimh árachais. I ask Deputies to support the amended motion, to seek the establishment of a task force to tackle the rise in premiums and to tackle legislative action strengthening of the powers of the Financial Services Ombudsman to prevent consumers whose circumstances have not changed from facing increases that are completely out of line with industry averages without any clear basis. It is time for the State to step in to do what it can to stop the rip-off.

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