‘Overwhelmingly prohibitive' insurance model must be reformed, say retailers
'The Programme for Government's new action plan for insurance reform from 2020 set out 66 actions for reform to bring down the costs for consumers and business and to introduce more competition into the market,' REI said.
However, it claimed this action plan had not resulted in any meaningful change.
According to an REI survey last year, a majority of businesses (86pc) had not seen their insurance premiums come down despite the introduction of government reforms.
It also found that premiums had increased for 67pc of retailers despite 60pc saying they had no claims over the previous five years.
Jean McCabe, chief executive of REI, said the costs were unsustainable for businesses that were already struggling with rising premiums.
'The insurance industry in Ireland is overwhelmingly prohibitive for businesses, with soaring premiums adding to a multitude of unsustainable costs,' said Ms McCabe.
'The last action plan for insurance reform promised meaningful change but unfortunately this was not delivered. Now, the new Government has a chance to turn the dial on an industry that is not delivering for its customers.
'Of course, people who have legitimate claims for serious injuries need to be compensated, but we must also acknowledge that fraudulent claims are becoming more sophisticated and pose a huge issue for businesses.'
Ms McCabe claimed there is a rising number of cases of people misusing the current insurance model, and said the REI has found that 'bogus claims' are on the rise.
'Bogus claims for slips, trips and falls are an ongoing problem, but businesses are also reporting a rise in bogus defamation claims, whereby customers deliberately trick a staff member into confronting them over suspicious behaviour, only to accuse them of defamation afterwards,' she said.
'The fact that there are as many defamation claims in Ireland as in England, which is many times larger in terms of population size, shows how out of control the marketplace has become.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Gareth O'Callaghan: Garda recruits start out full of ambition. What happens then?
The energy and enthusiasm was palpable around the courtyard of McCan Barracks — better known since 1964 as the Garda Training College — on the morning of June 6. Families and partners had gathered to watch 120 recruits become sworn members of An Garda Siochána. The pride was evident on their faces that evening on the news. Some 22 of these shiny new gardaí were born outside the State, from homelands including Belarus, Moldova, England, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, and Northern Ireland. The sworn declaration made by each graduate included the words: 'I will see and cause the peace to be kept and preserved, and that I will prevent to the best of my power all offences against the same." So, at what point, and why, does a freshly minted garda, filled with admirable intentions to make a positive difference in society, turn rogue? The recent Crowe Report's findings that a number of gardaí — a 'noticeable minority' — assigned to the national roads policing division are not carrying out their jobs, and have no interest in doing so, has been greeted with shock. Other findings show that gardaí who were not carrying out their duties didn't care that they were being monitored, and that their managers weren't dealing with the problem. What surprised me was how anyone who has been following what many might call the force's decline was shocked. An Garda Síochána assistant commissioner Paula Hilman and deputy commissioner Shawna Coxon at the publication of the Crowe Report in Garda HQ, Dublin. Picture: Sam Boal/ Collins Photos An Garda Síochána has been plagued by scandals since long before 2014, when the handling of the disclosures from two garda whistleblowers, Maurice McCabe and John Wilson, led to the resignations of justice minister Alan Shatter, garda commissioner Martin Callinan, and later his successor Noirín O'Sullivan. The nation was appalled when details of the venomous smear campaign aimed deliberately at McCabe, orchestrated by senior garda officials, were published. McCabe's legitimate concerns while a sergeant in Cavan during the early 2000s included the number of hours gardaí in his area were actually working, an overall demise of standards that he regularly witnessed, and a lack of work initiative among several colleagues. In 2008, following a number of slipshod investigations, including an assault in 2007 in a pub in Bailieborough where a garda probationer investigating strongly advised the victim to withdraw his statement against his alleged assailants, McCabe resigned as sergeant-in-charge. He resigned from the force in 2018, stating that the way his complaints had been handled had 'destroyed me, my career, and my family'. Following the scandal, Enda Kenny's government pledged to usher in a 'new era of policing'. Strong leadership For its gripping and thorough account of the Maurice McCabe scandal, I highly recommend A Force For Justice, by Mick Clifford of this parish. During their training, gardaí are taught that every human being is capable of committing shocking crimes — not just the criminal underworld or sections of deprived society. But that can come closer to home because as we have seen from recent high-profile cases some gardaí are also the perpetrators of crimes. Everything in life — without exception — depends on relationships, whether it's a marriage, a business, or a democracy. Every relationship in turn needs a strategy that is nurtured. Otherwise it fails. A police force is no different. It's a sprawling business that relies more than any other on strong leadership at every level, and on strategic planning Without flexibility, there can be no strategy. Survival relies on strategies that can adapt to an ever-changing landscape of challenges. If the different levels of superiority within a business refuse to work cohesively within the common strategy, then accountability goes out the window and the blame game begins. This is what has happened to An Garda Síochána; because a lack of congruence and trust at every level is failing its rank and file — the ones at the coalface. Driving on our roads these days is like jumping out of a plane with a parachute strapped to your back — your survival is in the hands of the gods. Roads policing is exactly what it says on the tin; or at least it should be. Its textbook objectives are the enforcement of current road traffic legislation. Reducing fatalities and injuries, while preventing criminals from using the country's roads for illegal activities, is the job description. It's a mammoth task, considering we don't have enough gardaí or vehicles, and this report proves that some gardaí in that unit have no interest in what they're being paid to do. How do the report findings make honest and dedicated gardaí feel? It's soul destroying to work with a colleague who doesn't pull his weight, even more so if your manager doesn't score high on the work ethic either. The Crowe Report found 'a noticeable minority' assigned to the national roads policing division are not carrying out their jobs. Picture: Sam Boal/ Collins Photos Top brass are quick to emphasise that it's a noticeable minority of gardaí who are involved; but at what point could a noticeable minority tip over into a small majority? What makes a young garda lose interest in the job? To answer that, it's crucial to look at the organisational culture of the force, which hasn't changed, despite Enda Kenny's promise. 'That's not how we do things around here' is not what a new recruit expects to hear on their first day on the job, but that's often what they are told. If your boss is a slouch, or worse a bully, in any business, then there's little incentive to stand out from the crowd and shine. It usually encourages the opposite. Many gardaí who were young recruits at the time of the McCabe scandal are now sergeants. Did the ruination of McCabe still influence the day-to-day decisions they make in relation to their obligations? In McCabe's own words: 'The system grinds down any individual who complains.' In organisations with rarified levels of management, there tends to be a lot of obfuscation, often coupled with a lack of accountability. When faced with a decision you know is the right one, but not the one your boss might opt for, then self-preservation kicks in. If gardaí lack interest in what they're employed to do, it points to a toxic culture, not only within the force but also out on the streets, that can slowly kill off their initiative to be the officer they trained to be. Then there's "presenteeism", where gardaí are turning up unfit to work because of mental health issues, which they fear would be regarded by their colleagues as a weakness of character. The GRA 2023 Why Are Members Of An Garda Síochána Resigning? report saw 32.5% of gardaí surveyed reporting a toxic work environment, while 37.5% brought up mental health issues and burnout. If the new commissioner has garnered anything from the legacy of the past 25 years, it should be to patrol the streets at least once a week in the company of those who do it every day, and to give them whatever new resources they need to do their jobs. Maybe then, the substantial minority might show some interest in the ordinary decent people they are paid to protect.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Irish Independent
Communications Minister announces €10m in funding for public interest journalism
The latest round of funding forms part of a Government scheme introduced in Budget 2025 that committed to supporting reporting on local authorities and local courts granted through Coimisiún na Meán. Speaking about the announcement, Mr O'Donovan, said: 'Building on the success of Round 1 of the Local Democracy and Courts Reporting Schemes, I am pleased to announce the allocation to Coimisiún na Meán of a further €6m for the continuation of these Schemes, which will enable media outlets to further strengthen their coverage of local authorities and the Courts. In addition to the €6 million announced, another €4 million is also to be invested in areas where some news stories are underreported, €3 million of which will be ring-fenced for commercial radio under the News Reporting Scheme. The €3 million ring-fenced funding will enable commercial radio services to provide additional high-quality news reporting on matters of public interest. 'I am pleased to announce a specific allocation of €3m to the commercial radio sector through the News Reporting Scheme,' Mr O'Donovan said. "The allocation recognises the important role of commercial radio services in providing high-quality, trustworthy and accurate news to the public. 'This allocation is in line with the Programme for Government commitment to provide accessible funding to support the provision of objective news and current affairs content and will complement the ongoing supports already provided to the commercial radio sector through the Sound and Vision Scheme. 'Commercial radio stations play an invaluable role in community engagement, cohesion and the promotion of social inclusion across the country and provide a crucial public service in the delivery of trusted information to our citizens. "The funding will enhance the provision of high-quality public service content to both local and national audiences.' This year, Mediahuis Ireland, which publishes the Irish Independent, Sunday Independent and 11 regional titles, has benefited from the scheme operated by the media regulator and has hired more than a dozen reporters around the country focused on local democracy and courts reporting.
Irish Post
6 days ago
- Irish Post
Irish government reveals date new state-of-the-art data centre set to open
A NEW state-of-the-art government data centre is set to be completed by the end of this year, Ireland's Digitalisation Minister Emer Higgins has confirmed. Work began on the site, in Backweston, Co. Kildare, in 2023 and the construction project was completed in July of this year. The internal fit-out is expected to be completed by the end of this year, with services migrating to the new tech centre in early 2026. Ireland's Digitilisation Minister Emer Higgins has provided an update on the new data centre Developed as part of Ireland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), under the European Union's recovery plan, NextGenerationEU, the data centre is set to future proof the delivery of essential digital services in Ireland. 'The Backweston shared Government Data Centre is a fantastic example of how NextGenerationEU funding is delivering real, tangible results,' Minister Higgins said after visting the site this week. 'This complex build was completed on time and on budget, which is a testament to the skill and dedication of everyone involved,' she added. 'It will harness the latest and most efficient technologies to ensure that vital Government data is stored in a secure and energy-efficient way, meeting the Government's technology and energy-saving requirements both now and into the future. 'This state-of-the-art facility will give State bodies the ICT infrastructure they need to work more efficiently, streamline processes, reduce duplication and bring greater consistency to how public services are delivered,' the minister explained. 'It will be operational from 2026 onwards, marking a significant step forward in our digital transformation journey, delivering on commitments in the Programme for Government and ultimately helping us to provide better public services to the people of Ireland. I welcome this important progress.' See More: Data Centre, Emer Higgins, Ireland, Kildare
