In a controversial statement, Judge Seamus Hughes made a staggering statement that young drivers are practically being fleeced by insurance companies.
According to the Irish Times, the Judge was speaking at Longford District Court on Friday and they reported that he said: “We have half the youth population in this country blighted with excessive premiums.”
He said the “huge increase” in uninsured young drivers had become a national problem, blaming the rising cost of insurance premiums on “excessive claims” being awarded.
“We should adopt the English approach,” he added.
He went onto say that accidents involving cars which had very young children in them in locations like shopping centre carparks, were resulting in damages claims on psychological grounds.
“They are getting €13,000 and €14,000 for claims that a child has resumed wetting the bed.”
He then said that young drivers couldn’t afford motor insurance and were getting put off the road because they were just trying to get to work.
According to the Irish Times, the Judge said:
“We are in a vicious circle and the powers that be need to do something about exaggerated claims.”
Judge Hughes said “new premiums are so excessive” that they were preventing young people from getting to work in rural areas.
“The biggest enterprise that started in this county, which is riddled with dereliction, is in Ballymahon,”.
“It is painful to be sitting here as a judge in rural Ireland to see the number of uninsured young people being convicted of having no insurance and you have to ask yourself: Can they afford it?”
It was a brave step forward in what will inevitably surely be a major debate on the costs of insurance.