Mr. James Doyle:

That is what I am saying. There should be no need for a levy on the person whose property is not subject to flooding. If a person's property is subject to flooding no insurance company will take on that risk. That is a fact of life. Insurance companies are commercial entities and we fully recognise that. However, that does not mean that person as a citizen who pays his taxes should not have the same protection as a person in an urban area whose problem may be solved by taxpayers' money by way of defences. The risk must be equalised. How that is to be financed is another day's work but I would be loath to suggest how it might be done.