Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

At the outset, I wish to acknowledge the issues raised by Deputies Whitmore and Brady regarding the difficulties being experienced by businesses in the leisure and outdoor recreational sector in obtaining public liability insurance, including the specific company that has been mentioned by the Deputies in the north Wicklow area. Such SMEs play a key role from an economic perspective and serve to enrich the quality of life in communities. The company mentioned by the Deputies did that for thousands of children and kids who used the facilities in recent years.

In response to Deputy Brady, who spoke generally on the insurance industry and referred to the rip-off industry and the lack of competition in the area, I was here last night in the Chamber when the Sinn Féin finance spokesperson spoke, during Question Time for the Minister for Finance, in relation to insurance when he was dealing with me on the matter. He said that he shopped around for his own personal car insurance this year and got it for €300 cheaper. Sinn Féin's own spokesperson on finance talked about the value of shopping around. Therefore, I do not accept the Deputy's claim here regarding rip-off insurance. It flies in the face of what his own party's spokesperson on finance described as his own personal experience.

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