Insurance legislation and money message
Deputy Calleary asks whether the Judicial Council Bill can pass all Stages before the summer recess and whether a money message will issue for the Civil Liability and Courts (Amendment) Bill. The Minister says Government wants the Bill to pass, but the money message must be checked, and he congratulates Deputy Kelleher.
Given Fine Gael's newfound interest in addressing insurance costs and introducing insurance reforms, can the Minister commit that by the time we break for the summer recess in July, the Dáil will have passed all Stages of the Judicial Council Bill 2017 and that the Government will issue a money message in respect of the Civil Liability and Courts (Amendment) Bill 2018? As he prepares to leave the House, it would be a particularly nice tribute to Deputy Kelleher if we could progress the final item of legislation he introduced here prior to the summer recess. More importantly, progressing the legislation would send a signal that those in government are actually interested in doing something about the cost of insurance rather than just protecting their own political skins.
Comment on this
Deputy Calleary's questions were very appropriate for this slot and I hope others were listening.
Comment on this
It is certainly the ambition of Government that this Bill will pass all Stages. Obviously, we are dependent on both Houses to secure that. I will have to come back to the Deputy in respect of the money message relating to Deputy Kelleher's Bill. I take the opportunity to congratulate Deputy Kelleher on his success. We will have him here for another few weeks.