Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister said a while ago that he had no interest or business in insurance. The businesses we met with today have had their insurance increase threefold, fourfold, and fivefold.

It is outrageous. This is happening because of the lawyers, the courts, the whole system, the merry-go-round, the fat cats and the claims they give out. If a person in England breaks his or her finger, there is a set fee for it. Why do people here get tens of thousands of euro in the same circumstances? Those involved in the murky business of the Four Courts and all the courts are getting what they want through the litigation process. Solicitors are allowed to advertise on a "no foal, no fee" basis. There was no such thing as "no foal, no fee" advertising 20 years ago, but it has crept in now. By allowing people to milk the system, we are putting all the costs on the backs of ordinary families and, especially, small business people. The big barriers in shops that were proposed by the Government in this legislation were like a jail. Small shopkeepers would have incurred significant costs. Tesco and all the big conglomerates could afford to put up these barriers. They are able to engage in below-cost selling and all this other stuff that ordinary shopkeepers cannot do. I am nearly out of time. I am appalled to think that the Minister would say Mr. O'Brien was right to say that parents were committing emotional terrorism.

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