Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Insurance companies are picking and choosing in the line of flooding and so on. At the moment there are areas where a person may buy a house that never flooded but because the company has that property on a map, it will refuse the new owner insurance. At the same time, insurance companies from other countries have gone into liquidation or gone bust and we are trying to ensure we protect the people affected. I agree with that 100%. To put it bluntly, the taxpayer has come to the aid almost every time there has been a problem with these companies. Yet, the companies pick and choose what they will do in the line of the people affected. Does the Minister of State believe there is anything we in the Dáil can do about this? Deputy Michael McGrath introduced a Bill to try to solve some of these issues. Is there something we can do to ensure there is give and take? The insurers must take some of the punishment when something happens. Can we put in clauses to the effect that insurers have to adhere to strict terms and conditions to help people who are in a vulnerable position?

See this speech in context