Insurance protest is gathering momentum

The locally based organiser of next Saturday’s protest in Dublin against rising motor insurance costs predicts that the centre of the city will be brought to a standstill.

Damien O’Kelly, who lives in the Kinnegad area, has been inundated with messages from irate motorists, some of whom have seen their insurance premiums triple over the last 12 months.

He says that he also received calls from politicians from across the political spectrum who have voiced their support for the protest, which will see motorists from across the country converge on Dublin.

“They were quite aware of what was happening with motor insurance and public liability in general,” Mr O’Kelly told the Westmeath Examiner.

However, Mr O’Kelly said that what has struck him most in his conversations with people is the “devastating” impact that rising insurance costs are having on businesses as well as members of the general public.

“I have been talking to businesses that were planning to get another van on the road, but when it came down to insurance they couldn’t afford it.

“These businesses are trying to employ people but due to increases in public liability and motor insurance, they are not able to.

“It’s hard to fathom how devastating the increases in motor insurance have been to everyday lives. People are going in to get their policies renewed and there’s an extra two or three grand on their quotes.”

Mr O’Kelly says that he has been surprised by the large number of middle aged people, many with no claims, who are unable to get insured because they own vehicles that are more than 10 years old.

Such is the level of anger among motorists that Mr O’Kelly believes the protest will be larger than the 6,000 that the organisers first predicted.

“With the convoys (motorists from different parts of the country are meeting up at motorway junctions), I’m not sure what the numbers will be, it will be a wait and see process.

“But in Merrion Square there will be a big crowd. I know a lot of taxi drivers are taking part in the protest. The insurance prices are getting to the point where they are not viable.”

For more information on Saturday’s protest visit: ireland-underground.com.