*Pictured: Councillor James Ryan
A MOTION brought before Clare County Council by cllr. James Ryan (SF) was passed on to the office of Minister for Finance Simon Harris TD (FG).
The Westbury native raised the issue at a May sitting of the local authority, where he proposed “To ask the relevant ministers to ensure all home insurance companies are not rising prices above the rate of inflation.
Home insurance costs continue to rise across the country with explanations that weather and costs of repair are rising as much as 20%, it will leave many households uninsured”.
“Though insurance companies are making big profits there are still many places in Clare that cannot get home insurance due to ‘flood risks’ in places like Shannon where no flood has ever occurred and will soon have flood defences added”, the cllr continued, making reference to his LEA.
The former Taoiseach’s office responded by thanking cllr Ryan for raising the issue, beginning by stating “The Tánaiste does not take lightly the challenges customers can face regarding cost and availability of insurance”, before highlighting that neither he nor the Central Bank has the power to intervene in the pricing of insurance products”.
The letter continued to say that the government still held expectations in regards to the price of home insurance in Ireland, highlighting a recent meeting between Minister of State Robert Troy (FF) and Insurance Ireland “to emphasise the Government’s expectation that the benefits of insurance sector reforms, particularly those improving transparency and claims costs, must translate into more affordable and accessible insurance for consumers”.
The letter referenced the significant issue of flood insurance, explaining that the government was “currently engaging with multiple stakeholders on the development of a long-term strategic approach to the provision of flood insurance, to consider potential solutions, specific to Ireland, to increase the availability and affordability of flood insurance”.
The correspondence continued to outline that the government is committed to advancing insurance reforms as part of the Action Plan for Insurance Reform 2025–2029. These reforms aim to deliver affordability, choice, and accessibility for consumers.
