Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I always try to bring the concerns of constituents into my contributions, when possible, because the most fundamental purpose of us being here is to represent our constituents. The week before last I received an email from a lady in County Wexford, which is relevant to the topic of insurance reform. It stated:

I am writing to you in relation to the Alliance for Insurance Reform.

Ireland has an incredibly skilled circus industry featuring world renowned performers and coaches. Despite our industry being small in numbers we are highly committed to our safety standards and have been updating our knowledge and protocols continuously over the years. In recent months our insurer informed us that the underwriters are no longer able to cover ‘Aerial Dance’ and have removed aerial dance from their list of approved activities. I am now in a situation where I have put massive time and financial pressure on getting myself through the intensive training to qualify as a coach and performer to be faced with an insurance crisis placing significant threat on the future of myself as a performer and coach, the futures of my coaches and fellow instructors, and the future of the overall circus arts industry, here in Ireland.

Ultimately government can and must get liability insurance premiums down to affordable levels with reforms that keep them that way. Recent research by the Alliance for Insurance Reform shows that 42% of organisations say that insurance premiums are threatening their future. While recent reforms such as the judicial guidelines are welcomed and having an impact of motor premiums, they are clearly not having an impact on the liability premiums paid by businesses, voluntary and community groups, sports and cultural organisations and charities.

This is just one industry facing serious problems when it comes to insurance.

Many other people in other industries could tell similar tales of insurance rates becoming unaffordable and businesses subsequently in jeopardy. It has happened in the childcare sector. It is happening on an almost daily basis to community groups trying to run fundraisers which were run perfectly safely for years.

I wish also to draw attention to the views of the Alliance for Insurance Reform who are doing sterling work in pursuit of improvements. It highlights that the current personal injury system, via the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, PIAB, delivers damage well in excess of European norms to plaintiffs in a manner that is quick and low-cost. When claims for minor injuries go to litigation, only lawyers benefit. Equally, insurers cannot continue to delay the delivery of reduced premiums or all the benefits of the reforms being processed currently and recent High Court decisions will flow directly into the back pockets of insurers as additional profits. We expect substantial reductions to the cost of liability cover and further proportionate reductions to motor insurance costs immediately.

All of this seems to link back to the decisions of the Judiciary. I know we in this House must be very careful around the separation of powers. However, if our legal system allows exorbitant pay-outs for minor injuries, or even if there is a threat of such pay-outs being awarded, the inevitable consequences are that premiums will increase and remain high. Any actions that can be taken by the Oireachtas which do not infringe on the separation of powers must be considered to help the many struggling industries to find insurance cover.

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