Mr. Patrick Davitt:

I would like to add something on the issue of insurance. Our members have a huge problem in attracting younger staff to their offices. Auctioneers who are trying to bring their sons and daughters back from Dublin or from abroad to work for them face enormous insurance costs. When they want to insure younger staff, they often find they cannot afford to do so. This means that younger staff members cannot travel to conduct viewings and so on. I am talking here about young people between the ages of 20 and 25 with full or provisional licences. It could cost up to €6,000 to insure them, even as named drivers. This is a huge cost for our members and it arises in both rural and urban settings. In fact, prices in cities are probably higher. One has to ask why this is the case. Often younger people are better drivers than their older colleagues. Mr. Thompson may not be able to give me an answer on this today but it is a large cost for our members. It is particularly difficult for our members if they are trying to encourage their own young sons or daughters to come into the business.