Results 12,201-12,220 of 36,748 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Taoiseach a Ainmniú - Nomination of Taoiseach (20 Feb 2020)

Pearse Doherty: Gabhaim buíochas agus comhghairdeas leis an Cheann Comhairle agus leis a theaghlach a bheith atofa d'Oifig an Chinn Comhairle. Is onóir agus pribhléid mhór dó féin agus dá theaghlach. Tá sé ina onóir mhór agus ina phribhléid domsa ainm Theachta Mary Lou McDonald, uachtarán Shinn Féin, a chur chun tosaigh mar...

Consumer Insurance Contracts Bill 2017: From the Seanad (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: My colleagues in the Seanad tabled the group of amendments to the legislation, which I sponsored on behalf of the Sinn Féin Party, and they were accepted by all the parties in that House. The amendments will increase the level of information that insurance companies have to give to consumers, both motorists and businesses, in respect of public liability. Insurance companies will have...

Consumer Insurance Contracts Bill 2017: From the Seanad (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I hope that with the signature of President Michael D. Higgins to enact the legislation, there will be a much-deserved early Christmas present for consumers, given that it will radically reform insurance contracts throughout the State. I thank the Alliance for Insurance Reform for its input in respect of the legislation, which was doubtless strengthened by its suggestions. It has described...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Lottery Ticket Sales (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: 139. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the practice of issuing receipts for national lottery tickets checked in retail outlets has commenced; when this practice commenced or will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53471/19]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Environmental Investigations (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: 342. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the period of time he considers reasonable for his officials to commence and conclude an investigation with follow-up actions if necessary into alleged breaches of environmental legislation. [53358/19]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: It is page 45.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: My first question is about legal costs for claims that are made and settlements that are not accepted by an individual at PIAB who goes on to make a claim in the courts and where the court does not award a higher payment. Dr. Doherty might be able to answer this. Is there any evidence of the sections in the 2007 Act being enforced by the courts, which means that the legal fees would not be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: Does Insurance Ireland have any knowledge of or insight into this?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: Do the witnesses have any insight about the number of settlements that are not accepted by a claimant that go on to be litigated in the courts? What percentage of those receive a higher payment than was on offer?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: The companies that make up Insurance Ireland are the ones that are defending these cases in the main. Legislation was passed here in 2007. It was suggested by PIAB at the time that it would result in fewer people going to the courts. The trend has been the opposite because it allowed the courts to ensure that no legal costs would be paid if the award was not paid. What are Insurance...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I have heard Insurance Ireland banging on about this for quite a while and it has a fantastic propaganda machine and, indeed, captured many of the political parties in here and much of the media in terms of its spin. There is a section of the Act that allows for legal costs not to be paid out and, at this point, Insurance Ireland does not know if any of the 100-plus companies that make up...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: That is why I am raising the issue of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Act 2007, which specifically deals with this issue. My question is how often that is happening. How often are the courts not awarding costs and is there any indication from Insurance Ireland in this regard?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: If I can put it this way, does Insurance Ireland know of any court case in regard to somebody who did not accept a PIAB settlement award, which went to the High Court and where section 51A of the legislation, which means the individual would not be paid their costs, was effected?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I am not talking about individual cases. I am trying to figure out Insurance Ireland's knowledge in regard to any of this. Is it aware this is happening or not?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I appreciate that. Insurance Ireland makes the point about PIAB and suggests the level of cases that are not being accepted has increased as a percentage over the last period. We know from the Central Bank report that PIAB is probably the most effective way of keeping costs down and, indeed, is more effective than the insurance companies settling the claims themselves. How many claims have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: As we are probably talking about a ten-year period, there would be some 12,000 cases over that period. Has Insurance Ireland done any analysis of those? Once it rejects a case or rejects a settlement, it is more than likely that it goes into litigation or else the insurance company settles, which is unlikely if it is the one rejecting the settlement. When the case goes into litigation,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I find that shocking. Has Insurance Ireland done any analysis of the 1,200 claims it rejects each year from PIAB with regard to how many of them fall into the different categories, for example, €1 to €10,000, €10,000 to €20,000, €20,000 to €30,000, and those above €100,000?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: We can ask PIAB in that regard. The point I am making is that it is likely the 1,200 claims that Insurance Ireland is rejecting are claims that have higher costs, that is, those that are at the higher end of perhaps €90,000 or €100,000. We know the cost of these claims when they are litigated makes up over 50% of total costs, even though they are a small proportion, given some...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: Yes, I meant the insurance companies.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Access to Justice and Legal Costs: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Dec 2019)

Pearse Doherty: I know that.