More resources are needed to enforce workplace safety laws and reduce the cost of liability insurance, according to the new president of the Irish Insurance Federation (IIF).
Speaking at the IIF AGM today, Mr Paul Donaldson said: ""Liability insurance, despite recent reductions in cost, remains very expensive in Ireland. This is largely to do with levels of damages and legal costs.
"Whilst we hope that current reforms will reduce the costs bill, we will continue to face a high damages environment for some time to come."
He said the IIF was calling on the Government to allocate all or part of the €19 million raised last year through stamp duty on liability insurance to strengthen enforcement.
Despite the recent rise in road deaths, and coming after a weekend in which ten people were killed in Ireland, Mr Donaldson said that the first five-year National Road Safety Strategy was successful.
However, he added it was "vital that the long-awaited follow up strategy is published without further delay".