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Dáil
‹ Questions on Promised Legislation

Motor insurance difficulties

Summary

Deputy Murphy followed with cases of rural motorists facing severe insurance problems even for low-mileage, older cars. The Taoiseach said claim costs and rising age-related difficulty were part of the problem and there was no single solution.

I also wish to raise the issue of car insurance. Fianna Fáil welcomes what the Minister of State, Deputy Murphy, and the working group have achieved. The sad thing is we are speaking about two years before anything can be put into practice. Another difficulty has arisen. I have had three cases in the past five weeks where families purchased cars in Dublin which were nine, ten or 11 years old but have only 50,000, 60,000 or 70,000 km on them. They have a few repairs to be done at a cost of €400 or €500 and they have passed the NCT without difficulty. However, as with wheelchair accessible taxis, no insurance company wants to insure these cars. It is disgraceful.

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I know the Taoiseach has no silver bullet to solve these issues, but I ask that the Government deals with the motor insurance companies head on because they are playing holy hell and I do not believe a lot of what they come out with. We do not have a great public transport system and by all reports, listening to Deputy Troy, it could be worse. What are people in rural Ireland to do? This needs to be tackled without delay.

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Enda Kenny The Taoiseach Fine Gael

Many of those cars might continue to have very little mileage put on them by those who use them. I understand this. There is also the issue of people who are increasing in age having difficulty getting insurance. The simple issue here has been the cost of claims and the way it has drifted over recent years. The Minister of State, Deputy Murphy, is working on this, but there is no single solution to every issue which arises, as the Deputy pointed out. I keep him informed of developments.

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