Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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178. To ask the Minister for Finance the measures to be taken to prevent the ongoing overcharging and imbalance in the car insurance industry which disproportionately discriminates against younger men. [34649/14]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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On the 1^stMarch 2011 the European Court of Justice declared invalid, with effect from 21 December 2012, Article 5(2) of the council directive 2004/113/EC of 13 December 2004. The effect of this ruling is that all private insurance contracts concluded for the first time from 21 December 2012 as well as any  agreements between parties to extend contracts from that date are prohibited by law from differentiating by gender on price or benefits. The 2012 amendment to the Equal Status Acts provides in Irish law for the mandatory introduction within the EU of unisex premiums and benefits in insurance.

While the exact movement in premiums following the introduction of the amendment is difficult to determine, the European Commission has indicated that it intends to monitor the evolution of the insurance market and of overall price levels in the years following the removal of the insurance derogation in December 2012.