Aontú Senator Sarah O’Reilly has hit out at any moves by the government to increase personal injury awards.
The Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, is currently considering a recommendation from the Judicial Council that could see personal injury awards increasing by almost 17% over coming weeks.
Senator O’Reilly says
“This is one of the worst ideas I’ve heard in quite some time and given that this government excels at bad ideas, this is really saying something. We are going through a seriously inflationary period, and we know that higher personal injuries awards are arguably the greatest factor in high insurance premiums, so it’s almost incomprehensible that our government is even considering hiking them up even more.
We already have awards that are higher here than in most other countries so there is absolutely no justification in increasing them. If passed, this will impact so badly on motorists, businesses and community , voluntary and sporting groups who simply cannot afford for this to happen.
The Central Bank has released the Private Motor Insurance Mid-Year 2024 Report showing a steep rise in motor insurance premiums of 9% in the first half of last year (2024) alone. Motorists for example in Cavan Monaghan are not only being hammered by inferior roads ,but they also must pay even more for the privilege .
Our road network is desperate in this region, it is a patchwork of potholes, craters and rough unstable road edges.
If this increase in personal injuries awards is adopted, it will directly lead to even higher insurance premiums for motorists.
This proposed increase in Personal Injury Awards cannot be passed without considered and full debate and I am urging that it be put before the relevant Oireachtas Committee.
