AA blasts ‘timid’ budget, says there is nothing for motorists in it

“Motorists cannot be expected to feel grateful just because things did not get worse.”

The AA has blasted the coalition government’s first budget, labelling it as “timid” and criticising the lack of measures taken to tackle the rising cost of motor insurance in this country. Though there was no rise in the cost of fuel prices, the AA say that they were already on the rise before the Budget, with petrol and diesel rising by 2.6 cent and 3.4 cent respectively in the last month. It was the refusal to tackle to rising cost of motor insurance premiums that was the main source of the AA’s ire, however, with Director of Consumer Affairs Conor Faughnan calling it a “crisis” that’s “badly affecting” two million people. “Motorists cannot be expected to feel grateful just because things did not get worse,” said Faughnan. “We are facing a crisis in motor insurance prices at the moment which is badly affecting 2 million Irish people. It would have been very helpful to reduce the 5% levy on all motor insurance which we are paying at the moment but this was not done.” The AA say they are continuing to engage with the Government on the issue of the cost of motor insurance, having campaigned for measures to tackle what has become a critical issue for Irish motorists.