asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether there is any regulation which compels hire purchase companies to include in their agreements an element of insurance in case of sickness or unemployment of the purchaser; and, if not, whether, in view of the hardship suffered by many purchasers owing to the demands made by these companies at times when they are well aware that owing to sickness or unemployment the purchaser is temporarily unable to make payments, he will now make such a regulation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hire Purchase Agreements.
43.
There is no provision in the Hire Purchase Acts which compels hire purchase companies to include in their Agreements an element of insurance in case of sickness or unemployment of the purchaser. I do not consider that insurance of customers should be made the responsibility of business firms.
Does the Minister not agree that it is unfair that in the main insurance companies do provide for an element of cover against inability to pay during sickness and unemployment——
The Deputy is making an argument now.
——and in respect of those companies who do not provide for such a contingency is the Minister not aware that many hirers of goods have had the full rigour of the law invoked against them and have suffered greatly as a result? They have been involved in court proceedings and even sentenced to imprisonment.
The Deputy is making an argument.
In the circumstances, would the Minister not think it is high time that some form of legislation was provided to safeguard hirers of goods of this kind against confiscation and imprisonment through the inhumanity and callousness of these hire purchase companies?
On behalf of the Minister for Industry and Commerce, I want to say it is not considered that insurance of customers should be the responsibility of business firms.
They can go on with the racket.