Alliance welcomes budget funding for Gardai and Judicial Council
“If Minister Donohoe’s comment means that there’s additional slippage in this schedule, this is intolerable for the small businesses and voluntary groups facing closure in the next few months.” AIR Director Peter Boland.
The Alliance for Insurance Reform has welcomed the additional funds committed to the Department of Justice (€39 million) and An Garda Síochána (€81 million) in Budget 2020 but has expressed concern regarding a comment about the timing of the Judicial Council, made by the Minister for Finance in his Budget speech.
“We welcome the allocation of an additional €39 million to the Department of Justice and €81 million to An Garda Síochána in the context of the urgent need to establish the Judicial Council and set up the Garda Insurance Coordination Unit,” said AIR Director Peter Boland, “However we would be extremely concerned about a scripted comment by the Minister for Finance in which he stated that ‘2020 will see the establishment of the Judicial Council’.
“The Judicial Council Act was signed into law by the President on 23rd July and the Minister for Justice has repeatedly stated that the Council would be established by the end of this year.
“If Minister Donohoe’s comment means that there’s additional slippage in this schedule, this is intolerable for the small businesses and voluntary groups facing closure in the next few months. We’ve urged the Minister to clarify his comments and for no further delay to be applied to this critical insurance reform action.
“Finally, we urge the Garda Commissioner to move swiftly to set up the Garda Insurance Coordination Unit to spearhead the fight against insurance fraud.”
