Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The debate on this issue is based on the fact that people have been coming to Deputies' constituency offices. We have met many people, including taxi drivers who have seen their insurance increase by 300%, who are being quoted vastly outrageous charges for their insurance. I know of one particular case of a 28 year old woman who drives a Micra, which is 15 years old. The car has passed its NCT and it is taxed but when she went to seek her car insurance, she was told that it was going to go up by almost €700 or €800. She could not afford this so she went to other insurance companies to see if she could get a decent quote but she was refused. They would not even talk to her about it. They refused on the grounds the car was 15 years old and they would not even discuss it. She was told that the companies would not offer her any type of insurance, not even a quote of €3,000 or €4,000. This person has a young child and a part-time job and needs the car to get around, but she cannot get the insurance. It is outrageous that companies can do this.

The point has been made that this is an industry which is hugely profitable. There is no transparency and it is very hard to get figures from the industry. Similar problems exist with regard to house insurance. The industry can refuse people on the basis of future potential risk in their communities and on where they live. These companies then expect the State to step in to create a situation where they can give insurance to people. If there is risk in a business, it must provide for that risk. It must be able to manage the risk and see what it can do. I absolutely support the concept of a publicly owned and controlled insurance industry, linked in with a proper transport system.

I will be supporting the Sinn Féin amendment to the motion because I agree with the idea, as stated by my colleague, of the motor industry being brought before the finance committee and adequately questioned about its policy in this regard. It is important that the industry faces the ire of the people.

It is good to have the debate, but it will not have been worth having if we do not see something result from it and it does not look like the Minister of State will try seriously to address the issue. It has to be done though because we cannot have a situation where workers cannot afford car insurance.

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