Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I support amendment No. 22. This is an important Bill. I commend Deputy Pearse Doherty on bringing it forward. As we know, insurance costs are a huge problem across this State for businesses, householders and motorists. They have been the cause of many businesses closing. Many of the provisions of this Bill will provide some level of comfort and security to people who need insurance cover to transact their business and to travel to and from work. There have been situations where insurance companies have used opt-out clauses to wriggle out of paying justifiable claims to customers. This Bill attempts to close off those loopholes.

While there is further work to be done on the insurance industry, I look forward to the enactment of this Bill. People are being fleeced by insurance companies. Sinn Féin has proposed that the Government levies imposed on insurance premia over recent years be removed. We need to start lifting the burden on ordinary families, workers and small businesses that have been caught with huge premiums over the years.

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