Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am joking, of course. Obviously, it takes a leader to lead this but it also takes co-operation, and it has taken the co-operation of the Minister of State and the other parties who have supported the Bill.

It has been described as the most radical shake-up of consumer legislation in centuries in this State. The Alliance for Insurance Reform has said the legislation is a game changer that will alter the balance of power between insurers and policyholders, such as consumers, small firms and community groups. The truth is people are being crippled by the astronomical cost of insurance. This is a crisis. Businesses are being forced to close, jobs are being lost and people are working just to pay the huge cost of insurance.

Insurers will now have to provide a schedule outlining any premiums paid within the preceding five years. Sinn Féin, with others, is taking on the insurance industry and ending the rip-off. This legislation is part of our journey to stamp out fraud, to protect consumers, to ban dual pricing and to make premiums affordable. We recognise this is a contribution to that journey and we will continue that journey. As was said, I do not see any way that this legislation cannot lead to the reduction of insurance premiums, which is what it is all about. It is about the money in people's pockets and about people being ripped off. We have a responsibility to do everything we possibly can to stop that happening. Again, I commend Deputy Doherty on doing that in this legislation.