Once again, I want to raise the issue of insurance, particularly the soaring cost of business insurance. It has been reported that insurance renewals have increased by 15% in the past year. In the hospitality sector, insurance has increased by an average of 10%. This is despite the fact this sector has been practically closed for the past 12 to 18 months. This is not on. The Alliance for Insurance Reform report published last week stated insurance costs had risen across the board by an average of 15%. This is despite the fact that new personal injuries guidelines have been introduced. These new measures have resulted in reductions in personal injury awards, which should have resulted in reductions in insurance premiums. Unfortunately, this is not happening and businesses deserve to know why their premiums continue to rise. The insurance industry needs to answer these questions.

Earlier this month, the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, PIAB, reported that average awards since the introduction of new guidelines have decreased by 40% compared to last year. Despite this 40% drop as well as a reduction of liability in personal injury claims over the past decade, the commencement of the perjury legislation and the opening of the Garda insurance fraud office, businesses are still facing insurance premiums that are rising at an annual rate. This is wrong and needs to be addressed. Why is the insurance industry not passing on these reductions to its customers? Only two weeks ago, the Tánaiste publicly stated he expected insurance premiums to fall as a result of greatly reduced personal injury claims. He also stated the Government would continue to work with the insurance sector to make sure premiums will eventually fall. What exactly is the Government doing to ensure this?

I have been contacted by many local businesses in Dundalk regarding their insurance costs. In some cases they have doubled compared to the previous year. This has the potential to put many businesses on the brink. I want to talk about one business in Dundalk that has contacted me. Air Bound Trampoline Park provides fun and fitness for children and adults. It is a great place for children and their friends to visit. It is also a wonderful place for parents of autistic children and other children with disabilities to bring their children for much-needed leisure activities. When the children were not in school, Air Bound was open seven days a week and when the schools went back to normal, it opened four days a week. It employs 16 staff, many of whom are students who use it to pay their way through college.

Almost two years ago, the park was closed because it could not get insurance. Luckily, someone came in and helped out. On 12 December, the park is facing the same challenge when it comes to insurance. At this point in time, no insurance underwriter will offer it insurance. It has no outstanding claims. It is being told the insurance company that deals specifically with activities and leisure parks is pulling out of Ireland due to the ever-increasing red tape being introduced by the Central Bank. If this is the case, the Government must act now. We cannot see businesses such as Air Bound Trampoline Park closed because they cannot get insurance.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which is impacting on many businesses, people and homeowners throughout the country. The Government is very aware of the affordability issues and the difficulties very often with getting adequate insurance cover and availability of cover for certain businesses, particularly in the leisure sector and the sector the Deputy has just outlined. Unfortunately, there are no silver bullets here. The Government has taken action through a range of measures in our action plan for insurance reform. This has involved the implementation of the personal injuries guidelines to replace the book of quantum six months ahead of schedule. The Deputy is correct that the PIAB report on what has happened since has shown a substantial reduction in the amount of awards issued. We want to see this followed through in reduced premiums from companies. The insurance industry needs to come up to the plate and respond to the changes the Government has made in terms of insurance.

We have also established an office in the Department of Finance to promote competition in the insurance market. The Central Bank has published its national claims information database report on employer and public liability insurance and completed its report review on differential pricing in the motor and home insurance sectors. The Criminal Justice (Perjury and Related Offences) Act has been enacted. This places perjury on a statutory footing for the first time. An insurance fraud co-ordination office has been established in the Garda national economic crime bureau. The insurance (miscellaneous provisions) Bill is being developed. This will enhance transparency and reinforce protection of consumers. This is the range of measures the Government has already introduced, but we need to do more.

The Minister for Justice is bringing forward legislative proposals to reform the law on the Occupiers' Liability Act and the duty of care. These proposals are at an advanced stage. The Minister will bring these to the Government and we will take them forward and bring them to the House. It is relevant because it will help to address the slips, trips and falls issue, which is very prevalent in footfall intensive areas such as the leisure industry and activity-related pursuits. There is detailed analysis of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003 with regard to making a number of legislative amendments to increase the number of cases settled by PIAB without recourse to litigation. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment under the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, have developed the heads of a Bill in collaboration with PIAB. The Minister of State is progressing this in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General.

There is a Cabinet subcommittee on insurance reform. There is an onus on the industry to respond to the reforms that have taken place and that are taking place. We are particularly conscious of companies such as those referenced by the Deputy, with regard to trampolines and the leisure industry more generally, particularly those looking after children's recreational interests and the difficulties they are having. We will continue our engagement with the industry to ensure provision and access to cover is there.

On 12 December, Air Bound, a trampoline park in Dundalk, will close. The reason the park will close is that it cannot get insurance. It is not the owners' fault. Nobody wants to give them insurance. They want to pay for their insurance. They have been there for a number of years. What will I tell the parents contacting me who have autistic children and children with disabilities? Adults also use it. The trampoline park opened a couple of weeks ago for one adult. It made no money. This is not all about money. These businesses are there to look after people with disabilities. I am pleading with the Taoiseach. I will give him the details. How can a company that pays its way not get insurance? I cannot understand it. It has tried everything.

In fairness, several years ago the company could not get insured because the premium increased three or four times. Luckily enough, I contacted a friend of mine with an insurance company in County Tipperary who did us a favour and it got insurance. I am pleading with the Taoiseach. This is only the start of it. Where will these people with disabilities go? It is affordable. The company works with children. When the children are in school, it opens four days a week and when they are off school, it opens seven days a week. Almost everybody in the Chamber has somebody with a disability or knows someone who is autistic. They have nowhere to go. This is the only bit of peace and quiet they get. I am pleading with the Taoiseach on behalf of Air Bound in Dundalk. Will the Taoiseach please help to keep it open? 12 December is a very important day for children with disabilities in Dundalk. I am sure there are also cases in other parts of the country. Will the Taoiseach please help to get the likes of Air Bound and other such companies insured?

I ask the Deputy to send on the details of the situation to me and the background to it. I fully commend the work of Air Bound with children with disabilities and special needs. Unfortunately, under the EU Solvency II legislation, the Government is prohibited from setting insurance premiums so there is no silver bullet. However, I would like to hear more detail on the background to this. I will speak to the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, who is dealing with insurance reform in the Department of Finance to see whether there is anything we can do on this. I thank the Deputy.

The Government blocked legislation introduced by Deputy Doherty to deal with this gratuitously.