Written Answers. - Insurance Ombudsman.
Pat Rabbitte
Ceist:
40
Mr. Rabbitte
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
if she will place the Office of the Insurance Ombudsman on a statutory basis in view of the serious problems highlighted by the outgoing Ombudsman; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[15779/98]
Ceist:
52
Dr. Upton
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
the plans, if any, she has to introduce legislation to statutorily establish the Office of Insurance Ombudsman, in view of the recent comments of the outgoing industry based Ombudsman.
[15930/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 52 together.
I would first take this welcome opportunity to congratulate Ms Caroline Gill on her appointment as the next Insurance Ombudsman of Ireland, with effect from September of this year. The House is aware of Ms Gill's fine record in the area of the protection of Irish consumers' rights. Her experience and standing in this field, allied to her intuitive understanding of dispute resolution mechanisms and practices, will ensure the continued success of the Insurance Ombudsman's Office in the area of insurance dispute resolution.
I have spoken to both Houses of the Oireachtas on the subject of the Office of Insurance Ombudsman on a number of occasions and I have always, as a matter of course, prefaced my remarks by stating that the Ombudsman scheme was set up as a private sector scheme, funded ultimately by the insurance industry itself. As I indicated to the House, in reply to written questions on this subject on 18 February 1998, the operation of the insurance Ombudsman service, under the auspices of the insurance industry, has proved an outstanding success, as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism. That success is due in no small measure to the dedication and expertise of the present Ombudsman, Mrs. Paulyn Marrinan Quinn, who has filled that position since the inception of the scheme in 1992 and who has developed the scope of the service to the mutual benefit of insurance consumers and providers. Clearly, in a case such as this, where self-regulation works so successfully, it would not be appropriate to alter the status of the office, and to place the consequent extra burden of funding a publicly run dispute resolution system on the taxpayer.
I would reiterate that it is our intention to endeavour to maintain and uphold the strict independence of the Office of the Insurance Ombudsman and to this end I recently sought a meeting with its council. At that meeting with the chairman and deputy chairman, I conveyed concern that the council should be seen to act as an effective buffer, between the board, representing the participating insurance companies and the Ombudsman, to ensure that the Ombudsman had unfettered autonomy in discharging the responsibilities of this very important office, in accordance with the agreed terms of reference. The council representatives assured me that this was the case. They, in turn, undertook to reflect on particular matters which I raised with them and I intend to have further discussions with the council in the immediate short-term. I have the utmost confidence in the ability of both the present and future Ombudsman, to discharge their duties to the highest professional standards, in the interest of the insurance consumers, throughout the country
