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Seanad
‹ Order of Business

Insurance fraud and identifying cases

Summary

Davitt called for action against fraudulent insurance claims and urged the legal profession to challenge them. The Chair cautioned against identifying individuals, and Davitt continued to argue that the courts, insurers and Minister needed to act.

I want to speak in a similar vein to Senators Leyden and Lawlor. A number of recent high profile court cases have been thrown out or have been seen as fraudulent. It is a concern for our society that so many such cases are presenting. We have many eminent solicitors and barristers here. I ask them to talk to their own organisations and take these people to task. The judges in some of these cases were evidently very aware that these were fraudulent cases. I ask my colleagues to talk to the Bar Council of Ireland and the Law Society of Ireland and bring them to task in respect of such conduct. It is the least they could do. One particular case really stuck in my craw, and that of many people to whom I have spoken. I refer to the case where a lady was surfing on a tram, if it could be said it is possible to surf on a tram. She fell off and, as tends to happen falling off of a tram, she received an injury. I am sorry she was injured but to follow Transdev Luas trams-----

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On a point of order, the young lady can be easily identified by Senator Davitt's remarks. It is grossly unfair-----

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She has put herself there already.

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It is unfair-----

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I am speaking.

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That individual will not be able to defend herself.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

People should not be referred to in a way that might identify them.

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I did not mention anybody's name.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

I know Senator Davitt did not.

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I did not mention anyone's name and I will not.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

That is fine.

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This has been in the national media. It was on the front page of one of the national newspapers.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

That does not matter.

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That is the reality of it.

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

The lady has no defence in this House.

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To say that a person could win a case and take €500,000 from Transdev-----

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

Senator Davitt is over his time.

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It is unbelievable. The insurance companies, the State-----

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Paul Coghlan An Leas-Chathaoirleach Fine Gael

The Senator must not mention anyone.

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-----and the Minister are going to have to look very hard at many of the cases coming before the courts.

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