Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

A national group seeking reform in the area of insurance has reacted with dismay to the guidelines recently published by the Judicial Council. Hard-pressed people and organisations, including business people, charities, voluntary and community groups, sports and cultural organisations and small businesses, are severely affected by payouts for minor injuries. We see this effort by the Judicial Council to reduce payouts, but it is half-baked. They are not to be reduced by nearly enough. As we know, businesses are struggling anyway but, in light of the pandemic, it is all the more important that the Judicial Council uses its teeth and reduces payouts by much more. The payout for a minor sprain to a person's thumb is now €12,000 but in England it is only £4,500. In England, the payout for whiplash is only £4,190 whereas here it is twice that. We need to deal with this effectively. The Judicial Council has to go back to work on this and the Government must intervene.

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