As the Northern Ireland Assembly returns with a visit yesterday of the prime ministers of the UK and Ireland a leading lawyer has said the Assembly’s return will allow politicians to address a range of key legislative challenges which have hindered businesses for a several years.

Tara McSorley, (above) chair of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers’ Northern Ireland Division explained the hope is that the legal gaps which have blighted Northern Ireland in recent years will now be addressed and end the uncertainty that has impacted the ability of businesses to operate and attract investment.

“I turned on the car radio on Tuesday morning to the welcome news that the NI Assembly is to sit again,” she told Emerging Risks. “The DUP has agreed to return to the power-sharing Assembly at Stormont.  This represents an end to the stalemate after months of interparty talks and negotiations with Westminster and the NI Secretary of State.

“After several years of political stagnation and uncertainty for NI policyholders and insurers, there will be great interest in what the Assembly is going to look at first.  Union pay disputes and a public services crisis led to a strike of over 150,000 public service workers in mid-January so there is a lot on the Assembly’s agenda.”

McSorley continued: As NI FOIL chairperson, I have been thinking about some of the areas our new NI ministers might consider for insurers and their policyholders.  Perhaps the new Assembly will address issues which differ from the UK and ROI, such as the NI Discount Rate, E-Scooters and legislation relation to respiratory claims arising from mould in damp properties.

“When the NI Assembly returns, we can expect greater clarity in terms of filling in the legislative gaps created by the stasis of the last few years.  We are already waiting for more certainty for reserving and claims spend as we anticipate the imminent publication of the new guidelines for personal injury awards in the upcoming “Green Book”.  The Assembly’s return to introduce and streamline legislation will assist with claims handling which will ultimately benefit both insurers and their policyholders for the future.

UK secretary of state for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris added: “I am delighted that the Democratic Unionist Party have taken this next step to work with the other Northern Ireland Parties to recall the Assembly.

“The Government made commitments to introduce legislation in our Command Paper and we have now followed through on those commitments.

“I look forward to working with the new first minister, deputy first minister, and all the ministers in a returned Northern Ireland Executive, alongside Northern Ireland Assembly members, to improve the lives of people living here.”