Finance Committee to discuss rising costs of motor insurance with consumer agencies

14th September 2016

The Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach will meet tomorrow meet to continue its hearings on the rising cost of motor insurance in Ireland.

The meeting will start at 11am in Committee Room 2, Leinster House.

The schedule for the meeting is as follows:

Session A: 11 a.m. [Ms Dorothea Dowling (formerly of the National Insurance Advisory Board; and Mr Ciaran Phelan and Mr Paul Carty, Irish Brokers Association];

Session B: 2. p.m. [Mr Fergal O’Leary, Mr Patrick Kenny and Ms Karen O’Leary, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission]; and

Session C: 3.45 p.m. [Mr Kevin Thompson & Mr Michael Horan, Insurance Ireland]

Committee Chairman John McGuinness TD, said “The cost of car insurance continues to soar and Irish motorists are bearing the brunt of the highest insurance premium prices in years. At tomorrow’s Committee meeting, we will look at what can be done to protect consumers from continued rising car insurance prices.”

“Tomorrow’s meeting will focus on competition and consumer protection. It will be the first time the Joint Committee will engage with representatives from the insurance industry and represents a valuable opportunity to discuss the many issues around motor insurance and the cost of premiums. We are also looking forward to hearing from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, as there are concerns around a perceived lack of competition in the Irish market.”

Committee proceedings can be viewed live here: http://bit.ly/CRoom2

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices