Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein)

I welcome the Minister of State. While I welcome any debate which highlights the pressing issues of insurance costs and accessibility, we must move beyond words and deliver tangible solutions for our citizens. This motion, like many before it, rightly identifies the challenges but the question remains: does this Government's action match the urgency of the problem?

I want to focus on two critical areas where the current system is failing: the existential threat facing homeowners of our unique thatched homes, and the crippling burden of motor insurance in rural Ireland. That burden is made worse by the chronic lack of public transport. The crisis facing owners of thatched homes is an issue I have spoken about previously in the Chamber and it remains dire. These are more than just homes. They are living monuments of our heritage, yet their owners face soaring insurance premiums that often exceed €2,500 or, worse, no cover at all. With up to half of thatched properties uninsured, families live under constant threat. Without insurance they cannot sell their homes and they risk losing everything if disaster strikes and find it very difficult to mortgage their homes. Insurers blame fire risks and structural concerns. While those risks do exist, they are manageable with proper precautions. Instead, the industry has largely withdrawn, leaving families isolated and vulnerable. This is a clear market failure that threatens people's homes and our cultural heritage. We must engage with insurers, push for fairer policies and learn from successful international models.

Motor insurance is a lifeline for rural communities. For many rural families, a car is essential, not a luxury. It is their only way to get to work or school, access medical care and carry out basic and necessary tasks such as shopping, yet rising motor insurance premiums combined with scarce public transport create an impossible choice between paying unaffordable premiums and facing isolation. Young drivers suffer disproportionately and often pay more in insurance than the cost of their vehicle. This forces many young people to leave their communities, draining rural life and rural areas of their future. We need transparency and fairness in how insurers access risk. Are rural drivers being unfairly penalised simply because of their address? It is time we had a full review of the actuarial models and secured a commitment to openness about the setting of premiums.

On that note, I find it troubling that while the Government speaks about transparency, it has repeatedly blocked a Bill put forward by my colleague, Deputy Pearse Doherty. The Judicial Council (Amendment) Bill would have brought much-needed openness and accountability to the insurance sector. I find it hypocritical of the Government to talk about transparency in motions while blocking legislation that can deliver transparency.

This motion is a chance but only if it is matched by real and urgent action.