Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have a number of questions and I will ask them together to the various groups. I thank the stakeholders for coming in and giving us their presentation. I know Mr. Boland for a while. I was elected in 2002 and insurance was an issue then also. The then Minister, Ms Mary Harney, established the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, PIAB, to try to deal with the issue. I was a businessman myself and I saw my insurance go from €14,000 up to €78,000 at that time. In reference to Mr. Tom Ryan, the director general of the GAA, I am Chairman of my local hurling club. We have a health and safety officer within our club to ensure the grounds are up to standard so we do not have a claim. It is a big issue with GAA clubs.

I raised this issue during Leaders' Questions recently. A meeting was to take place between Mr. Boland, the Taoiseach and the Minister of State, Deputy Michael D'Arcy. Will Mr. Boland brief us on the outcome of that meeting? Was he confident coming out that something will happen or was he deflated? I think there is a box ticking exercise going on at the moment. Public meetings are being held by the Minister of State, Deputy D'Arcy, and the Government seemingly behind closed doors from what I can gather. I got my invite to go to the one in Galway at the last minute. I wanted to go but unfortunately I was unable to change my diary to attend. Was the Alliance for Insurance Reform invited to the one in Galway or was there any engagement regarding the agendas of the meetings?

Is PIAB working or does it need reform? Is it too influenced by the legal profession on claims going through? My final question is for all of the witnesses. I was sorry to see the Galway Rally cancelled. My nephew used to be involved in that, God be good to him. He passed away. How many events, roughly, are being cancelled around the country now due to insurance issues? I know the GAA is probably the second largest landowner after the State. The Irish Public Bodies Insurance scheme - which insures all the public bodies, public streets and public parks - needs to get involved. It needs to start working with groups such as the men's shed association and charitable organisations to provide insurance cover. Many of these events take place in public parks where people are charged and €1.2 million or €1.5 million of insurance cover must be shown upfront. Has there been any engagement with the Irish Public Bodies Insurance scheme to see if it can work with the groups present? I think it should. I am not a member of this committee but perhaps it should be brought in here to answer if it can work with the witnesses on various events.

What engagements do the groups present have with the major insurance companies? Will they engage and talk? I know they are answerable to one person and that is their shareholder. At the end of the year, when they publish their accounts, all they want to do is show what profits have been made. That is their goal and objective. I met with the insurance regulator some years ago and, to be honest, it was a waste of time. He told me his hands were tied and that he had no control or influence over insurance companies. Perhaps that should be reformed.

I compliment the tremendous work the GAA does. It is an organisation in every village, town and parish in the country. It is a huge issue, as Mr. Ryan said, to make sure every ground and facility is up to standard. What inspections does the GAA carry out? Does someone go out, are the county boards under instructions or are there county board health and safety officers to make sure all grounds and pitches are up to a high standard? The quick fix question was asked. Is it getting more difficult for the GAA to insure all of its grounds and are more stipulations being put in the way in respect of the huge amount of property under its vested control? It will come to a stage where an audit of every single property will be needed before insurance companies will start insuring. I think the Irish Public Bodies Insurance scheme has a major role to play with events like the Galway Rally and with the men's shed association and organisations like that. I compliment Mr. Boland on the tremendous work he is doing to try to achieve reform.