Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will be very brief, as I have to attend another meeting in ten minutes. That is the nature of this place, unfortunately. I welcome the presentations and I will return, hopefully in time to hear Insurance Ireland presenting before the committee. It sent in its opening speech. I do not know whether the witnesses have had the opportunity to read it, but it is interesting because for the first time it admits demountable defences offer the same protection and risk as fixed defences, but it states the missing part of the puzzle, in its opinion, and perhaps the witnesses will give me their comments on this, is the human intervention in erecting demountable defences. Insurance Ireland states the discussion with the OPW needs to get onto this.

It is now admitting that demountable defences work and offer the same protection as fixed defences but there is a human element. It has given us some examples of where demountable defences have failed because of human intervention. All of the examples given are from the UK. None of them is from Ireland, interestingly enough. This tells its own story. One example given is a delay in 2007 in Upton Upon Severn in erecting the demountable defence because it was not deployed in time due to severe disruption to the transport infrastructure, itself caused by flooding. Will the witnesses give us comments on this, now that Insurance Ireland is admitting demountable defences offer the same protection as fixed defences?