John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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295. To ask the Minister for Finance the reason that a community run and operated community centre (details supplied) which has not had an insurance claim over 15 years has seen its premia rise by €10 in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7919/22]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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At the outset, it is important to note that neither I, nor the Central Bank of Ireland, can intervene in the provision or pricing of insurance products, which is ultimately a commercial matter for each provider. As the Deputy will appreciate, I am also unable to comment on individual cases.

Notwithstanding this, the Government recognises that the cost of insurance remains a significant issue for many groups, including community and voluntary organisations. The Government is therefore pursuing a broad range of measures through the Action Plan for Insurance Reform in order to improve both the affordability and availability of this key financial service, including for such groups.

One of the key developments under the insurance reform agenda has been the creation of the Office to Promote Competition in the Insurance Market, chaired by Minister of State Fleming. The Office aims to both improve costs and increase the availability of cover by encouraging greater competition in the Irish market. Since its establishment, the Office has held over 60 meetings with a wide range of stakeholders on issues surrounding competition. Officials are also working with IDA Ireland to leverage the ongoing reform work in order to attract potential new market entrants here, and are identifying targets to engage with. This will, in the first instance, seek out providers who offer insurance in areas which have been identified as ‘pinch-points’ in the Irish market.

More generally, the Government is committed to ensuring that the benefit of the various reforms being implemented, notably the new Personal Injuries Guidelines, are passed onto customers. In this regard, Minister of State Fleming recently met with the CEOs of the major insurance providers in November to discuss a variety of issues, including expanding insurers’ risk appetite in underserved areas, such as those raised by the Deputy. Furthermore, he has also met with insurance providers who are seeking to expand their cover here.

In conclusion, this Government is committed to improving both the cost and availability of insurance in Ireland through continued implementation of the current reform agenda. With regard to community centres, upcoming priorities of particular note including making changes to the duty of care, and legislating with a view to increasing the number of claims settled by the Personal Injuries Assessment Board. It is my intention to continue working with colleagues across Government to help to deliver these key actions and to ensure that the overall implementation of the Action Plan leads to a more competitive and sustainable insurance market.