Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will definitely be supporting this Bill today. I welcome any move to tackle the problem of some consumers being charged higher prices than others with a similar risk profile. This adversely impacts more vulnerable consumers and older people. All consumers deserve to be treated fairly when purchasing insurance. It is essential that consumers and businesses should be treated fairly, equally and in a transparent manner, and not be harmed as a result of pricing models adopted by insurers. Motor and home insurance are not luxury products. Let us look at the way publicans have been treated. They were shamefully dragged through the courts by insurance companies while they were on their knees and had paid insurance every year without fail. They were loyal insurance payers. While publicans were going bust, insurance companies were boasting about great profits, yet nothing was done by the Government.

Then we have the young people who live in rural Ireland where there is no public transport. They need to be able to drive to get to school, college and jobs. These young people are being fleeced by insurance companies and charged astronomical prices. The situation is compounded by the driver testing system, which is nothing short of a joke. We cannot get tests for young people who need to be able to drive. In the previous Government, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil backed Shane Ross's Bill and young people are now stuck at home thanks to that blackguarding, which is all it is, of young people. It is time for the Government to stop backing insurance companies and to stop them robbing and denying young people a basic human right that we all had when we were young and able to drive a car. The Government can stop crying crocodile tears for young people.

In my remaining 20 seconds I wish to raise flood insurance in Skibbereen, Bantry, Roscarberry, Rathbarry and other such places that were flooded in August. Some who had no insurance did not get the compensation package and in other cases people who had insurance who were flooded previously did not get money. It is all a pure scam.

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