Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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273. To ask the Minister for Finance to provide an assessment of the impact of the duty of care and Personal Injuries Assessment Board legislation on insurance premiums for customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47599/25]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The delivery of a fairer, more transparent, and affordable insurance sector through structural reform, as well as ensuring the long-term sustainability and viability of the Irish insurance market, are key priorities of the Government. The previous Action Plan for Insurance Reform, published in 2020, delivered significant achievements, most notably the rebalancing of the Duty of Care, reforming the Injuries Resolution Board (formerly PIAB), and the introduction of new Personal Injury Guidelines.

There are clear indications that the market is responding to the Government reform agenda, with insurance now available in previously challenging areas. Key to this was the overhaul of the duty of care legislation, the policy intent of which was to address ‘slips, trips, and falls’ type claims, prevalent in the activity-based or heavy-footfall sectors. The Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 was commenced in July 2023, aiming to help reduce premiums for businesses in these areas by reducing the number of claims that proceed to litigation.

Another key focus of insurance reform was addressing personal injury costs. The reform of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB), now known as the Injuries Resolution Board, has reduced legal costs, led to faster claims processing, enhanced fairness and consistency in awards. Prior to these reforms, personal injury costs accounted for about 70% of overall motor insurance claims costs. Following the introduction of the Personal Injuries Guidelines and related reforms, this figure has moved closer to 44%. The most recent reports from the Central Bank of Ireland National Claims Information Database (NCID) show that, for both private motor and employer’s and public liability claims, the Injuries Resolution Board is the fastest and most cost-effective method of resolving personal injury claims.

In addition, feedback from insurance stakeholders has indicated that public liability insurance issues are showing signs of some easing; more capacity is entering the market and certain insurance rates are reducing. This is an indication that the Government’s reform agenda is having an impact.

The Programme for Government 2025 commits to a comprehensive series of actions aimed at improving affordability, availability, and transparency across the insurance sector. One of the first steps to deliver on these commitments is a new Action Plan for Insurance Reform, published on the 24th of July 2025. The new Action Plan will advance reform under six key themes: transparency and affordability, competitiveness and availability, legal reform, fraud, climate protection, and innovation and skills. The Plan includes a number of priority actions focused on areas where the greatest impact on cost and availability can be achieved.

I wish to assure the Deputy that the focus of Government remains on driving further meaningful reform of the insurance sector through securing a more sustainable and competitive market and ensuring that the benefits arising from the entire reform programme are realised, for consumers, businesses and community groups across Ireland.