Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all of the contributors and again thank all of those who came to the Visitors Gallery to listen to the debate. What they will want to know is what the outcome of this will be, whether it will lead to any change and whether the Government will focus on delivery. That is what this has to be about. It is all very fine to pass a motion in the Dáil but it has to mean something. The Government has to focus on getting some short-term wins in this area.

We are operating in a vacuum because we do not have the information about premium increases affecting the business community, for example. The Minister of State should be taking a sample of businesses to track their insurance over a short period, and I encourage him to do that quickly. I also encourage him immediately to require insurance companies to explain to policyholders what they have done to challenge claims and the work they have done to get to the point where they make a settlement. It is a very practical step which is achievable. Where claims are made that insurance companies believe to be bogus, false, exaggerated or fraudulent, there should be an onus on them to refer those to the Garda immediately for investigation. If the Government takes those short-term steps while working on the longer-term policy issues as well, I believe we will make some real progress. We need the data and we need transparency. Some of the timelines in the action plan are not good enough. With regard to the national claims database, the Minister of State is talking about a report on the feasibility of including business insurance by the end of 2019, which is not good enough. It is the same with the CSO giving us the record of business insurance premiums. That is not good enough and the Government has to bring that forward.

The Minister of State's party's mantra is a republic of opportunity. Those who are here tonight and many of those who are watching want the opportunity to continue in business and to continue to provide employment and services for their customers, and not be put out of business by exorbitant insurance costs. Surely they deserve that. We will certainly back them and I hope the Government will too.

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