Results 5,461-5,480 of 26,439 for speaker:John McGuinness

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: Let me finish. Deputy Boyd Barrett mentioned taxi drivers earlier. We could take transport companies, farmers or marts. They are all telling us the same thing: their insurance costs have gone sky-high. Now, presumably the report Deputy Boyd Barrett referenced is about insurance. The Minister of State mentioned that it went to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. Is that not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: That does not seem to be working. That is the point I am making. You and I are talking about this, and the committee is dealing with it. Yet, as the working group deals with it, there are businesses operating throughout the economy that are being forced to close or curtail their activities because of the various types of insurance. That cannot be endured. One sector cannot hold all of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: No, take a note. There are two officials beside you. They can take notes as well. I have no one beside me.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: I am looking at the Minister of State's report. Wherever a report, protocol or legislation is mentioned, the action gets done but the hard part is giving information to the consumer. That does not get done. It is too intricate according to these recommendations. Let us consider the first recommendation. I will bring us through them. The first states that insurers should set out reasons...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: That is what I said. It is ongoing. What is to stop insurance companies from simply giving the information? If my insurance premium goes up by €1,000 or if it doubles, then surely I am entitled to sit down with my broker or insurance company and ask why the premium has gone up although I have made no claims. The companies will not even answer people who ask that question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: Does that not tell you something about them, Minister of State?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: That tells us everything about them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: Given the context in which the Minister of State finds himself, should the Government not give everything to one person, namely, to the Minister of State? The report was sent from the working group to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. Whatever is required to be done should be done immediately. That simple example involving information being asked from the service providers...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: That is the problem. I will leave it at that because that answers everything.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: I have another example of information. When a claim is being settled, as happens regularly in the case of transport, taxis and wherever a large number of vehicles are involved in the business, all we are asking is that the settlement be disclosed, but that recommendation has been delayed. The Minister of State stated the Department of Finance failed to reach an agreement with Insurance Ireland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: Surely a business that pays its premiums is entitled to know-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: A business that pays its premiums-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: Why not? Should insurance companies not be required to outline the compensation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: The Department has recommended a delay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: I return to the point that insurance companies are calling the shots and are not co-operating with the Department.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: That says a lot about them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: That brings us to the end of the meeting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Cost of Insurance Working Group: Minister of State at the Department of Finance (13 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: I thank the Minister of State and his officials.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: 265. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangement he plans to put in place to address the urgent need of schools (details supplied) to each have a non-teaching principal position in view of the unique circumstances involved; if he will meet a delegation from each school to hear the range of problems being experienced and the need for positive action by his Department; and if...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Jun 2019)

John McGuinness: 266. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to fund two building projects at a school (details supplied); the original costs; the funding allocated; the details of the current proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23810/19]