Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. The cost of insurance working group project culminated in the publication in January 2018 of the report on the cost of employer and public liability insurance. The report makes 15 recommendations with 29 associated actions detailed in the plan. The most recent progress update was published last November and shows that 18 of the 19 action points arising up to end of the third quarter of 2018 have been completed. It is envisaged that the next quarterly progress report will issue shortly. The vast majority of the total of 26 action points due for completion during 2018 overall have been carried out. Many of the recommendations of the report on the cost of motor insurance also applied to the area of employer and public liability.

I wish to highlight some steps that have been taken. Sections 8 and 14 of the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 have been amended to ensure defendants are appropriately notified of a claim submitted against their policy and to make it easier for businesses and insurers to challenge cases where fraud or exaggeration, respectively, is suspected. A protocol has been put in place between the Garda and Insurance Ireland in respect of the reporting of suspected fraudulent claims. The Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2018 has been enacted. The Central Bank (National Claims Information Database) Act 2018 has been passed. I thank all the Deputies and Senators in both Houses who facilitated this legislation.

The Law Reform Commission, LRC, has been asked to produce a report on these Houses' ability to cap the level of awards. That has been agreed to. Senator Anthony Lawlor will bring legislation to the Seanad in the next couple of weeks that will give this House and the Seanad this authority. Moreover, the establishment of an insurance fraud investigation unit within the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau, GNECB, is being considered by the Garda Commissioner, as opposed to a stand-alone insurance unit external to the GNECB but within its parameters.

See this speech in context