asked the Minister for Local Government the decision, if any, that has been reached by the Undesirable Risks Committee in the case of a person (name supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he is aware of the financial loss suffered by this person due to the refusal of the insurance companies to insure him.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Undesirable Risks Committee.
80.
The decision of the Undesirable Risks Committee on this case was not accepted by the insurance company concerned. There is no way in which I can ensure that a company will offer cover in any particular instance. I brought the hardship involved in the case to the attention of the committee and I understand that an offer of cover is now possible. I have conveyed this to the person concerned.
Does that offer cover buses, cars and tractors and does the Minister consider the offer a reasonable one?
I am sorry I do not have that information. There is a section of the Department which deals with this and there are little things that happen of which I am not aware. I am afraid this is one of them.
Have this committee any control at all over insurance companies?
The committee have not. This matter was first brought to my notice by Deputy Brendan Griffin——
I rather thought the Minister would get that one in.
——and he has been pressing the matter since. He could, as a matter of fact, give the same information to the Deputy that I have given him because Deputy Griffin has had this information for over a week now.
A Leas-Cheann Chomhairle, would you control the Minister? I asked a very simple question. What is the function of this committee if they cannot solve cases? There is no point in having a committee if the insurance companies ignore them. This is getting to be a very serious position with a 25 per cent increase in the Dublin area.
The position is that the committee cannot insist on insurance companies paying but they have been reasonably successful in many cases, including this one. While it is not the ideal way to deal with matters like this the members of the committee are doing a reasonably good job and we should not knock them in the way in which they are being knocked by Deputy Davern.