47 Mr. Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has received the final report of the Motor Insurance Advisory Board, which she informed Dáil Éireann on 20 November 2001 was expected by the end of 2001; if it is now intended to publish the report; the steps she intends to take to ensure that affordable motor insurance is available to young drivers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3335/02]

65 Mr. T. Hayes asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when she expects to receive the final report of the Motor Insurance Advisory Board; and if the report will be published. [3360/02]

91 Mr. Deenihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when she expects to receive the final report of the Motor Insurance Advisory Board; the steps she proposes to take to ensure publication; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3359/02]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 65 and 91 together.

The Motor Insurance Advisory Board, MIAB, is still completing its work, which included an examination of the cost of motor insurance for young drivers. Completion of the final report has taken longer than expected. I expect, however, to receive the report over the next month. I will examine the board's recommendations as a matter of urgency when received, with the intention of bringing proposals to Government thereafter.

Is that all the Minister of State has to say?

Pardon.

Is that all the Minister of State has to say, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle?

For the moment.

The Chair has no control over the Minister of State's replies.

A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, there is not a responsible young person in the country who can get insurance cover to drive a motor vehicle for work purposes.

A question please to the Minister of State.

Is it not the case that there is not a responsible young person in the country who can get insurance cover to drive a motor vehicle for the purposes of employment? All the Minister of State has to say are two sentences saying, "Live horse and you will get grass". How do we know at this stage whether we will even get this report? If we do, what exactly does the Minister of State propose to do? It is extraordinary, Sir, that he tells us now that it will take longer than expected. Would he mind informing the House at least why it is taking longer than expected?

For the second time in answer to this question – Deputy Rabbitte asked questions earlier which I answered – there was a major problem in getting raw data information from the insurance industry. We fought very hard to get that information over the past year. The final information was made available in early December. The board asked for further time to conclude its work. It is working assiduously on that and has given me an assurance that it expects to conclude the report within a month. I am prepared to wait until I get a final report. I am fully aware of the problems in the insurance industry. I have done everything possible in recent years to see what alternatives we could put up to provide alternative cover for young people. Regretfully, due to many issues, international and otherwise, it was not possible to conclude achievements in certain areas. I am now awaiting the report and I will pursue its recommendations as vigorously as possible.

Is the Minister of State aware that the interim report of the Motor Insurance Advisory Board would clearly indicate that motor insurance for young people is quite a profitable business as opposed to the view generally put out that it is a substantial loss maker and that the no claims bonus is no longer reflected in renewal premiums? Is he aware of the disquiet among thousands of young people, particularly in rural areas, annually when their premium comes up for renewal that they can be asked any premium the insurance company so wishes and that £3,000 is the norm which is totally out of line with young people's incomes and something they cannot afford? Is he further aware that many young people are being put in a position where they will take their cars out on the road without insurance which would be serious, to say the least?

I am fully aware there are certain segments of the insurance market that are reasonably profitable. That includes one segment of young people, but not all. The first preliminary report we received in June 2000 referred to that. However, those figures have been disputed by both sides of the argument and I await the board's conclusions as a result of the investigations it has pursued over the past year. I hope I will be able to take recommendations forward thereafter.

Will the Minister of State give a commitment to the House that as soon as he receives this report he will publish it? Will he publish the interim report he received immediately? Is it not the case that the insurance industry has deliberately delayed the final report of the MIAB by not furnishing the raw data to it? Is it not blatantly obvious that subsequent to the interim report, it took until December 2001 for the insurance industry to provide that raw data? Now that the Minister of State has openly admitted that at least one sector of young people's insurance is profitable, action must be taken immediately to address the cherry-picking going on and the lack of competition in the industry?

I am somewhat baffled by the members of the Opposition who want a report to be produced and who want me to make decisions before it is produced. That is not possible.

It has been promised for a long time.

This is a very serious, complex and delicate issue.

What has the Minister of State done in five years?

I will stake my record against those who went ahead of me. At least we have made some effort to try to resolve this issue.

Allow the Minister of State to speak without interruption. There are other Deputies who wish to ask supplementary questions.

I am awaiting the report and will deal with it as soon as it arrives.

The Minister of State has told us he has tried and failed—

I did not say "failed".

He did. He said he has tried and failed because of various national and international factors.

I did not.

That is what he said. It is on the record of the House.

I did not use the word "failed".

It is true. I am not questioning the veracity of it – it is obviously true. If he says the report has been held up by obstruction by the insurance industry in providing raw data, why did he side with the insurance industry when the interim report from the MIAB came out under the Freedom of Information Act challenging the traditional view of the insurance industry? Why did the Minister of State line up behind it? Why has he difficulty understanding why Members on this side of the House would want to see some relief for young drivers who are being required to pay more in insurance cover in many cases than is the worth of the car they are insuring? Why is he surprised that Members on this side of the House want to see that tackled, irrespective of what reports are, or are not, in gestation? Has the Minister of State come to the conclusion, after four and a half years, that there is nothing he can do, for various reasons, to contribute to an alleviation of this problem?

I have not, nor have I said that. I am awaiting this report. There is an excellent group of people on that board which represents every public service organisation and Department relevant to motoring and motor insurance. It is a powerful board made up of eminent people and I am confident that its report will pinpoint ways in which we can take certain measures. Some of those measures might not be palatable and this House may be asked to take decisions it does not like as a result of those recommendations, but we hope we will have full consensual commitment across the House to ensuring that the necessary conclusions will be implemented in the future.

Deputy Rabbitte has a wonderful way of using words to suit occasions, but I did not side with the insurance industry when the interim report was published. I directed that the interim report be provided. I expected a report to be produced in June 2000. I was asked to extend the time, but I said I could not do that unless a report was put before me. An interim report was put before me but I was told it was totally inconclusive. I am quite clear that the interim report was inconclusive because we did not have the raw data. We sought to get that. It has not been done before in this country and now that we have it, I await its outcome.

The Minister of State has been in charge of the insurance industry for the past four and a half years. Will he list three things he has done in that time to facilitate more competition in the motor insurance market and lower prices?

Is the Minister of State aware that insurance costs for business have risen by 100% in the 2001 to 2002 period? Why has he allowed that to happen? Why has he allowed a cartel to operate not only in regard to young drivers – that is only one issue – but in terms of household and business insurance? Why do we not have competition now that we are in the euro zone? Why has the Minister not invited or encouraged insurance companies abroad to come here, which would create competition? The industry is totally without competition. It is a cartel.

Over the past three years of the Minister of State's reign, motor insurance costs have increased in excess of 50%. In light of the interim report, which highlighted that some sectors of the young driver population are profitable, what measures has the Minister of State taken to date, or will he now take, to address the creaming of profits that is taking place?

In reply to Deputy Perry, he knows, as does the House, that under European law the Government is prevented from interfering with the insurance market. It is not legally possible to do so. I spoke to many proposers, including international people, and tried to bring them to this country, but I wonder why they have not come here. Perhaps when this report is produced it may highlight the reasons for that.

Will the Deputies settle for the Minister of State telling them one thing he has done?

In response to Deputy Naughten, I have sought the information. The report has not yet been concluded. As soon as it is available, I look forward to dealing with it.

I asked the Minister of State to name three things—

Sorry, Deputy Flanagan, you can have your choice. I was going to call Deputy Howlin because his is the remaining question.

—but I now ask him to name one thing he has done.

If the Deputy wishes to take up the time, I will move on to the Order of Business. In fairness to Deputy Howlin, who has been in the Chamber all afternoon, I call Question No. 48, and I will take one supplementary from the Deputy.