Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and accept that fully.

I will not consider that at the moment, Deputy, but when we met the insurance companies, we faced a lack of adequate information. That is why we have sought for them to revert to us with more information. We are keen to get information about who is insured. That database should be improved. Once we have the information on who is insured, we will find out the more telling issue, namely, who is not insured. An issue that disturbed us when we met the insurance industry was the fact that there are still accidents being caused by people who are driving alone on provisional licences.

My principal role in the issue that the Deputy has raised, that of motor insurance, is to ensure that the number of accidents comes down because that will reduce insurance costs. In that role, I must put increased pressure on the State agencies involved to reduce the number of road deaths.

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