Vol. 555 No. 4
52 Ms Lynch asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her proposals to tackle the spiralling cost of insurance for small businesses; the progress she has made in implementing the recommendations of the report of the Motor Insurance Advisory Board; if she proposes to establish the personal injuries assessment board in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18647/02]
Insurance reform is a clear priority for the Government and for myself personally. A comprehensive set of measures is contained in the Agreed Programme for Government, the underlying purpose of which is to bring about an improvement in the functioning of the insurance market and the system itself. The measures range across a number of Departments and other bodies. I intend to oversee their implementation and I expect a quid pro quo from the industry in relation to cost reduction.
Good progress is being made in relation to the report of the Motor Insurance Advisory Board which was published in April of this year. The implementation group which was set up has prepared an action plan giving effect to the 67 recommendations in the MIAB report. The plan sets out what has to be done and by whom, the timeframe for implementation and the insurance industry's own estimate of the potential impact on cost reduction. I intend to publish the action plan shortly, after I have presented it to the Government. I have received the report from the implementation group on the establishment of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board. Here, too, I intend to publish the report shortly, after I have presented it to the Government. I also intend to set up the PIAB on an interim basis pending preparation of the legislation necessary to put the board on a statutory footing.
