Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is accepted that the cost of insurance for businesses right around the country is crippling them and ultimately costing jobs. It is particularly difficult for the small and medium enterprise sectors because it does not have the huge amount of business to dilute the significant costs of business. The cost of business insurance is now holding small and medium enterprises back, as we hear of quotes doubling and trebling from previous years. It is stopping business owners from investing in marketing and other promotional activity that drives job creation in this sector. The lack of real competition in the market means business owners must accept this cost with no worthwhile or effective means of shopping around.

It is extremely frustrating that the Government believes that since the report on the cost of employer liability and public liability insurance has been published, the job is done. Sadly, nothing could be further from the truth, as many of the recommendations in the report are not set to be completed until 2019. It is a criticism I have of this Government that all its energy seems to be focused on big projects, accompanied by millions of euro of spin. There is a promise of delivery down the road at some utopian point. Whether it is about hospital beds, housing or broadband, we will have much in the future but meanwhile people must suffer in the short to medium term. It is the same with job creation. We will have many jobs in future and we have been promised full employment. We might even see jobs in the regions if we are willing to wait for the roll-out of projects like Project Ireland 2040.

We need jobs now in the regions. I refer to vision of the future that this Government seems hell-bent on selling to the people. Issues such as the management and control of business insurance could have an immediate effect on the provision of jobs in the regions. It might be tedious work and it might not grab the headlines but it is work that would see quick results. It would rapidly ease the financial burden on small employers and encourage them to invest in marketing that will grow their business and provide much-needed jobs. This should be the focus of the Government. I urge the Minister to bring about the necessary changes in business insurance costs to make that happen.

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