James Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This will be the last contribution on the matter, but we have had this problem in Balbriggan for many years, so it would seem the tribe is expanding. There can be a serious problem.

I want to raise an important issue that was raised again with me at a meeting yesterday but has been raised over the last number of weeks, namely, the issue of the cost of insurance. Many of the comments made by Senator Lawlor were in regard to costs and there are a myriad of problems involved. I want to congratulate the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Charles Flanagan, on the signing into law of his Judicial Council Bill, which will help for the first time, in a more formal way, to provide for the continuing education of judges, the creation of guidelines for awards on personal injuries, the creation of sentencing guidelines, the creation of a judicial code of conduct and the introduction of a mechanism for dealing with complaints.

It is a complex area but, as we break for Christmas and look forward to celebrating Christmas with our families, there are businesses that fear they will not be able to open in the new year, many of them crèches. Many people are afraid they may not have a job in the new year and many parents are wondering if they will be able to keep their job if their childcare arrangements have to be changed or suspended.

The Ministers, Deputies Zappone and Donohoe, and the Taoiseach met about this yesterday and they are addressing it. They need to address it urgently and I would encourage them to do so. I hope we can get an urgent solution to the immediate problem but we need a much more sustainable solution in the longer term, addressing all of the other issues that have been raised by Senators Lawlor and Clifford-Lee.

I wish everybody a happy Christmas, particularly the Leas-Cathaoirleach and the Cathaoirleach, and all the staff of the Houses and all fellow Members. Again, I hope we will see urgent action taken to address the insurance issue. I commend Mr. Justice Frank Clarke on his work in getting the various preparatory works through the committees, and I hope they would look on this is an urgent issue and expedite the outcome of their work.