Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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523. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport why there are no insurance companies which will at this time give a quotation to a person who is a first-time taxi licence holder for a wheelchair assessable vehicle. [18251/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​Motor Insurance is a private contractual matter between the insurance company and their customers. I have no powers to intervene in the matter.  The Central Bank is the Insurance Regulator.  As my colleague, the Minister for Finance stated in the Dail in a statement on insurance costs on 20 April, the Department of Finance will over the coming months be focussing on a broad review of policy in the insurance sector, in consultation with agencies such as the Central Bank, Departments, and other stakeholders.  In that context, queries regarding the practices engaged in by the motor insurance companies could be raised with my colleague, the Minister for Finance and with the Department of Finance in the context of that review.

Insurance Ireland operates a free Insurance Information Service for those who have queries, or difficulties in relation to obtaining insurance. If a person is unable to obtain a quotation for motor insurance or feels that the premium proposed or the terms are so excessive that it amounts to a refusal to give them motor insurance, they should contact Insurance Ireland, 5 Harbourmaster Place, IFSC, Dublin 1 DO1 E7E8 Tel. 01.6761820 Fax 01 676 1943 email info@insuranceireland.eu quoting the Declined Cases Agreement. Under the Agreement, the Declined Cases Committee of Insurance Ireland deals with any cases of difficulty in obtaining motor insurance.