David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I support amendments Nos. 43 to 45, inclusive. While they are technical, they also impose a requirement on the Minister by replacing the word "may" with "shall" in the section. We had a similar debate with the Minister for Health on health provisions. I take this opportunity to raise the important issue of the insurance green card, which we raised on Second Stage and Committee Stage with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Support, Deputy Ross, and the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Simon Coveney. I understand from a previous response from the Minister that this issue is an EU competency and also that it is a matter for the industry to respond. The difficulty is that we need assurance that the issue will be addressed for the people affected. It is not appropriate to simple say it is up to the industry to resolve the matter. People need to be made aware of the requirements. What has the Government done to make people aware of them? We all accept that the insurance green care would be required in the context the UK leaving the EU with a hard crash. People with motor insurance need to know if their insurance will cover them when they cross the Border into the North or the South. This is an extremely important issue for people. While some insurance providers are preparing for this eventuality, are all of them doing so? We do not want some people to be left high and dry and potentially caught out by this issue. We need greater clarity. I am not comforted by the notion that the industry alone should resolve this issue. While I accept the Tánaiste's assertion that this is an EU competency, there is a responsibility on the State to ensure people are at least made aware of these issues.

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