Frank O’Rourke TD has called on the Government to provide a renewed focus on reducing the cost of motor insurance further, as the average premiums are still €300 higher now than they were in 2014.
“I appreciate that recent CSO figures show that the cost of car insurance fell by approximately 12% over the last year, but the average annual cost of insurance now stands at €750 compared with €450 in 2014.”
“My concern is that this elevated motor insurance cost will become the norm. Since being elected, I have persistently raised the unacceptable rise in the cost of motor insurance. Last month, I pressed the Government to partner with other EU countries to fight the rising costs, and we received a deafening silence.”
“While I appreciate that Brexit has become the most urgent matter for the Government at the moment, we must ensure that the Government does not lose sight of bread and butter issues such as motor insurance costs.”
“The cost of insurance working group put forward a whole range of proposals to have the cost of insurance reduced and we need a quarterly update, and debate, on the implementation of these recommendations,” stated Deputy O’Rourke.
“The recently published National Development Plan, never mentioned the importance of tacking the rising cost of living expenses and addressing the cost of insurance is one key element of that. As I have said before, the modest benefits from the changes to the USC in the last two budgets has been taken from most workers by the increase in the cost of motor insurance,” concluded Deputy O’Rourke.