Matt Shanahan demands fast-track for duty of care insurance bill
Matt Shanahan spoke on 26 Jan 2022 about insurance reform, occupier liability and the duty of care bill, urging the Government to remove barriers and fast-track legislation. He also raised concerns about mask-wearing in schools and thanked the Cabinet for parity of esteem for the South East Air Rescue Service.
Duty of care and insurance reform
Matt Shanahan recalled the Government subgroup's promise of a general scheme on duty of care by September 2021 and pressed for a commitment to remove barriers that have delayed introduction of the duty of care legislation. He said the duty of care bill must be fast-tracked so it is implemented as quickly as possible.
PIAB and legislative delays
He noted ongoing, unaddressed issues with occupier liability and said Government work on PIAB reform has been placed on an "all other legislation" to-do list, contributing to delays on reforms dating back to July 2021. In reply, the minister said the insurance bill on duty of care is getting priority drafting and that PIAB legislation is being worked on as well.
Occupier liability and business impact
Shanahan warned that current occupier liability arrangements continue to place risk and indemnity burdens on business owners. He argued that business owners cannot continue to indemnify, pay and suffer the risk under the present arrangements.
Masks in schools and public health advice
He asked that mask-wearing in schools be lifted, saying masks are unnecessary, uncomfortable for some children and causing angst. The response noted public health advice recommended maintaining existing school safety protocols to protect children while the opportunity for vaccination continues and that the matter will remain under review.
Air Rescue Service acknowledgement
Shanahan expressed thanks to the Cabinet for ensuring parity of esteem for the South East in respect of the Air Rescue Service, noting the Cabinet's action the previous day.
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The Government's subgroup on insurance reform promised a general scheme of a bill on the duty of care by September 2021. We have an ongoing, unaddressed issue with respect to occupier liability, which continues to place the liability and risk on business owners. The Government is still working on the promised reform of PIAB also, which is now on your all other legislation to-do list, which means further delays on reforms promises going back to July 2021. Can you give a commitment to remove whatever barriers exist to the continuing delay to introducing a duty of care legislation and to fast-track it so that it is implemented as quickly as possible? Business owners, Teachta, cannot continue to indemnify, cannot continue to pay and suffer the risk of this away legislation. Thank you. The insurance bill in terms of duty of care is getting priority drafting, so that is being prioritised, and the PIAB legislation is being worked on as well. I would like to thank the Cabinet yesterday for ensuring that there was parity of esteem with the South East regarding the Air Rescue Service. Today, I would like to ask you, would you please, England have disposed of these in schools, would you please look after children? They are just unnecessary, they are uncomfortable, some children can't wear them, and there is a lot of angst about them. Would you please lift the wearing of these in our schools, if you can at all, please? Thank you Deputy. First of all, I think there has been very significant lifting of restrictions on the advice that we received from public health authorities. The advice was to maintain the existing protocols around safety in our schools, and in so doing, you know, to protect children, whilst the opportunity for children to get vaccinated continues, and we will keep that matter on the review. Deputy. Deputy.
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