Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Leyden raised the important issue of increased insurance costs, but he did not refer to the profits of insurance companies. We got rid of the jury system for deciding on the level of damages a number of years ago because we thought such a move would lead to cheaper insurance. We then set up the Personal Injuries Assessment Board because we thought it would result in cuts in legal fees. The insurance companies now want further cuts because they are still not satisfied. Nobody is talking about the profits being made by insurance companies or the need for them to be upfront about why insurance costs so much in this country. There is a need for an honest debate on the matter. It is important to recognise that every time we go to pay insurance premiums, it costs us all more because of bad management within an insurance company, Quinn Insurance, where moneys were wrongly used.

I understand that a committee has been established to deal with the ten-year health care plan. There is no reference to any Member of the Seanad being on that committee. It is important to emphasise that Members of this House can make a contribution to the debate on the plan. I ask the Leader to seek clarification from the Minister for Health on the inclusion of Members of the Seanad on the committee when it discusses the ten-year plan.

The former Minister of State at the Department of Health, Kathleen Lynch, gave me a commitment in this House eight months ago that a report on the review of the fair deal scheme, particularly as it applies to farmers, would be made available in June 2016. It is now June 2016 and I ask the current Minister to make that report available. We need to have a debate on this matter. It is extremely important that there is a level playing field for everyone under the fair deal scheme.