James Bannon (Fine Gael)

There is an insurance crisis throughout the country and nowhere is it more evident than in the Leader's town of Athlone, where a public meeting was held recently on the issue. I call for a debate on the issue because a number of hackney drivers, small businesses and hauliers are being put out of business. The small family business is collapsing because of the astronomical and spiralling costs of insurance. I know of several instances in the past 12 months in which insurance premiums have increased by 400%. This is very serious and people are frustrated about it. It is important that we have a serious debate because we cannot afford to lose the small businesses and hackney services because the public depends on them, as do hospitals and health boards. We should clamp down on the spiralling increase in the cost of insurance premiums.