Senator Aisling Dolan - Strong Voice, New Vision.
Small and medium size businesses in places such as Ballinasloe, Dunmore, Ahascragh and Athleague are struggling to meet the cost of insurance premiums. That’s according to Councillor Aisling Dolan, Fine Gael election candidate for Roscommon-Galway.
Cllr. Dolan says she has met so many business owners over the past few weeks who say their businesses are ‘going to the wire’ over insurances costs, particularly those in the childcare sector. “The government has been working on encouraging more insurance providers into the market to increase competition and ultimately reduce premiums for customers, but it’s a slow process. These small businesses are providing local employment, keeping rural areas viable so they should be given more support.
We need to have national guidelines on the capping of claims, particularly personal liability. The government needs to incentivise insurance companies into the market here. Creche owners having to fork out almost double for their insurance premiums this year is not sustainable and if we don’t act, businesses will fold, and our unemployment figures will grow. I will lobby the Finance and Children’s Ministers to take action on this extremely urgent concern.”
