A business group has pressed the Government to legislate for caps on personal injury damages amid concern reductions in award levels being considered by the Judicial Council will not go far enough. Awards for minor whiplash injuries would be cut by up to 50pc under proposals contained in a report by a judicial committee. This falls well short of an 80pc reduction sought by groups campaigning for insurance reform. In a letter to Taoiseach Michéal Martin and copied to other ministers yesterday, the chairman of ISME, which represents small and medium enterprises, called on Mr Martin to “assert the right of the Oireachtas to legislate”.