Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

9 o’clock

I am glad to get the opportunity to talk again on the very important matter of insurance. It is such an issue with everyone. People, young and old are angry about the costs of insurance for everything. We know the hoops that younger people, for example, must go through when trying to get a car on the road for the first time. With the costs of insurance for such drivers, they try to buy the cheapest car possible. They then find the insurance companies will not take a car that is more than ten years old even though it may have passed its NCT. This anomaly seriously needs to be addressed. If the car has passed the NCT then it should be as good as the new car that comes out of the factory in every way, or that is what we are told. Many a family in rural places also needs a second car for taking the children to school and to all of those vital swimming and dancing lessons and so on.

The haulage industry is going through a terrible time currently with the cost of fuel and insurance. Likewise, taxi drivers have to pay premiums in the region of €17,000 and €18,000 to get their taxis insured. This is their livelihood. The insurance is costing nearly €300 or €400 per week.

Small hotels, bars and restaurants find it impossible to get insurance now. Sports clubs and show committees are also affected. Places such as Kilgarvan, Glencar and Dingle, for example, run one-day events to retain their identity. With the post offices, creameries and shops gone, it is very important to let communities have at least one day so they can call themselves Kilgarvan people, Dingle people or Glencar people. There is the committee that organises the St. Patrick's day event in Sneem, for example. The world fiddle day in Scartaglin, the Sliabh Luachra music trail, the Castleisland fair day and the Patrick O'Keeffe music festival are all very important and vital to rural communities in the area. The events are suffering and paying through the nose for insurance. Some of them are falling by the wayside because they cannot pay for the insurance.

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