I raise the matter of the judicial council (amendment) Bill 2026. In particular, I urge the Minister to move this legislation forward as quickly as possible. The general scheme was published in January 2026, and it was welcomed as an important step in the Government’s insurance reform agenda. It has a clear objective to make the process around personal injury guidelines more transparent, evidence-based and predictable. I wish to find out when we will see the legislation come through. Businesses across the country have been waiting for meaningful progress on insurance reform for years. The Government has made many strides in this space, and I do not think anyone can argue to the contrary. For many small businesses, however, insurance is still a thorn in their sides.

It is a significant operating cost and it can determine whether a business can expand, employ more people or even remain viable. We have already seen the importance of the personal injury guidelines in bringing greater consistency and predictability to the system. The Injuries Resolution Board has also demonstrated the value of resolving claims outside the courts with significant savings in legal costs. I reiterate that the average cost of bringing a claim through the Injuries Resolution Board is €961 - almost €1,000 - in legal fees with a payout of around €26,000. If people go through litigation it will cost them about €25,000 in legal fees with a €25,000 payout. We still see many cases go through litigation. Even though there has been an increase in cases going through the Injuries Resolution Board, we would like to see more.

The general scheme proposes some very important changes. It would require the personal injuries guidelines committee to consult the Injuries Resolution Board and other stakeholders. It would require research into awards made in Ireland and, more importantly, compare them with jurisdictions outside of the State. Importantly, this research would have to be published when new guidelines are brought forward. This is the type of transparency that we need.

The Government's action plan for insurance reform recognises that further reform is needed to improve affordability, transparency and competition. Will the Acting Leader ask the Minister where we are with the legislation and ask that it is put on the priority list so we can get it through the Houses as quickly as the legislative process allows? I thank the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, for all the work he has done on this. We have had the general scheme for the past nine months. Could we now have a timetable for delivering it?