'This is a case before the courts' - Varadkar refuses to comment on TD's compensation claim

The Taoiseach, a qualified doctor, side-stepped an opportunity to give advice yesterday on how best to use a swing while a Fine Gael TD’s personal injuries claim for falling off a hotel swing is before the courts.

The Taoiseach, a qualified doctor, side-stepped an opportunity to give advice on how best to use a swing while a Fine Gael TD’s personal injuries claim for falling off a hotel swing is before the courts.

But Leo Varadkar has defended the Government’s record on driving down insurance costs.

He was reacting to suggestions from Fianna Fáil leader, Micheál Martin, who said Dún Laoghaire TD Maria Bailey’s claim contradicts the Government’s campaign against the so-called ‘compo culture’.

Ms Bailey, 43, has taken a case to the Circuit Court against the Dean Hotel in Dublin, claiming damages of up to €60,000 over injuries she alleges she suffered to her head, back and hip after falling off a swing in the hotel in 2015.

Her legal team argued in the Circuit Court this week that the swing should have been supervised. The hotel, which is defending the claim, alleges that Ms Bailey was holding items in both hands when she sat on the swing.

While canvassing in Cork today, Mr Varadkar declined to comment on the details of the case while it’s before the courts:

This is a case before the courts and I think it’s important we allow the courts hear all of the evidence and then make a decision and I trust the courts to make the right decision in that regard.

“But on the wider issue of insurance, this has been a priority for Government. We have brought in a lot of actions to help reduce insurance for everyone – motor insurance is down about 25% from a peak of 2016 and will, I believe, fall further. Because of lifetime community rating, we have stopped the increase in health insurances that used to be an annual event. That’s no longer the case.

"And we have passed three new laws this year to reduce insurance costs, particularly for people who are in business. It might take a bit of time before that is reflected in lower premiums but this is an issue that government has shown its form on by getting motor insurance down and stopping the increase in health insurance and now we are really focusing on business insurance as well.”

But he laughed and moved on to other questions when asked if he could give advice to any Fine Gael TDs on how they could use a swing safely.